Mohbad’s death: One year of controversy, revelations, uncertainty

As fans and the music industry mark the first anniversary of Mohbad‘s untimely passing, his vibrant artistry continues to resonate. The Nigerian singer, born Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, died on September 12, 2023, at 27, leaving behind a legacy shrouded in controversy.

TURBULENT RELATIONSHIP WITH MARLIAN RECORDS

Central to the controversy surrounding Mohbad’s death was his turbulent relationship with Naira Marley, his former record label boss. Mohbad joined Marlian Records in January 2020. But in October 2022, the singer posted a video showing himself with several bloody bruises, which he claimed were a result of his confrontation with the label’s management after asking for a new manager. He revealed that his life was at stake and threats were coming his way for requesting to work with another management.

Mohbad eventually terminated his contract with the label, citing alleged “violent physical attacks”, “threats to his life”, and “non-fulfillment” of his contract terms. His exit from Marlian Records marked the beginning of a tumultuous period.

In January 2023, Bella Shmurda, another artiste and friend of Mohbad, revealed the ‘Pariwo’ hitmaker had attempted to take his own life due to the conflict with Naira Marley. A month before his death, during a media tour, Mohbad alleged his former label was sabotaging his career, especially by limiting his access to gigs.

Following Mohbad’s death, public outcry ensued, with over 200,000 people signing a petition to ban Marlian Records. Additionally, Mohbad’s management revealed that he had been engaged in a court battle with the label over withheld royalties before his passing. In October 2023, Naira Marley and associate Sam Larry were arrested but later released on bail after spending over five weeks in detention.

MOHBAD’S AUTOPSY REPORT 

On September 21, the body of the music star was exhumed. An autopsy was carried out that same day after which the police announced that they were awaiting the results.

In November 2023, the Lagos coroner court sitting in Ikorodu heard that the key aspect of the autopsy to determine the cause of his death was being conducted in the United States. Gbenga Omotosho, the Lagos commissioner for information, would later reveal that the autopsy was conducted at the National Medical Services Laboratory (NMS) in Pennsylvania. The NMS lab, however, denied the claim. The lab, through Esther Dede, the client services associate, forensics division, disclosed that no case related to Mohbad was conducted at their facility.

Eight months after the exhumation, the autopsy failed to determine the cause of death. The singer’s body had decomposed when tests were conducted. In June, TheCable obtained the result of the autopsy from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). The autopsy showed that “no significant gross finding” could be attributed to Mohbad’s death. The toxicology detected the presence of Diphenhydramine, an antihistamine, but not in a concentration considered fatal.

The Aloba family would later challenge the Lagos state government concerning the autopsy results, demanding an independent post-mortem and toxicology test.

Monisola Odumosu, a member of the Aloba legal team, said a two-part autopsy is currently underway, with the first phase completed and the second part involving toxicology and histology tests.

COURT CASES, DNA TEST, AND FAMILY SAGA

Adding to the complexity are the legal disputes, including speculation about the paternity of Liam, Mohbad’s son with his wife Omowunmi.

Barely two months after his death, Joseph Aloba, father of the late singer, said: “Let’s get justice for Mohbad; after burial, what is left? Let justice prevail first; the DNA is necessary.” Earlier this year, Aloba also alleged that concerning the DNA test, Omowunmi, the singer’s wife, “threatened to kill me”. He further requested a court order asking Omowunmi to submit herself and her son for the DNA test.

Aloba claimed that Mohbad had stated that he only slept with his wife once before she became pregnant, alleging that the late singer had questioned the paternity of Liam when he was five months old. He said he would reveal who allegedly killed Mohbad after a DNA test had been conducted on Liam. Aloba, however, said “I will accept Liam” if the DNA results conclude that he is his grandson.

Omowunmi, on the other hand, argued that her husband never questioned the paternity of their son during his lifetime. She accused her father-in-law of working with the people who bullied her husband till his death. Omowunmi claimed Aloba wants Mohbad’s properties and sees his grandson as a “threat and competitor”. Mohbad’s wife also said she knows a lot about his death but she is being “bullied to silence” by individuals with a stake in the matter. Following her revelation, Aloba asked the police to probe Omowunmi to unravel the cause of the singer’s death.

A coroner’s inquest into the death of the singer began on September 29, 2023. In one of the court sessions, Aloba filed an application, through the firm representing him in court, stating that “there were incidents on the Third Mainland Bridge at about 2.30 am on Sunday, September 10, 2023, which the witnesses did not mention and which no one has related at the coroner inquest and in our opinion would have given away the circumstantial event that led to the death of Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba”.

The application revealed some events happened at the deceased’s residence on September 12, which were not mentioned by the witnesses, adding that such information “would have given a better insight into the real cause” of Mohbad’s death. Aloba requested that Spending, Darosha, and Primeboy — who were Mohbad’s associates — should testify before the court because “they were all with the deceased at the material time”.

Feyisola Ogedengbe, the auxiliary nurse who injected Mohbad, was also named as “the prime suspect” in the singer’s death. Idowu Owohunwa, the Lagos state police commissioner, said Ogedengbe “administered multiple and highly potent injections which triggered an immediate reaction that eventually occasioned the death of Mohbad”.

In March, Primeboy filed a petition against Omowunmi, claiming that she was “using men of the state criminal investigation department (SCID) to intimidate and coerce me into making false confession” of causing grievous bodily harm to the late singer. He asked the singer’s wife to tell the world the “truth about Mohbad’s death”.

To worsen matters, Abosede, Mohbad’s mother, alleged that Aloba is not the biological father of the late singer. She described him as a “thief”’ who is only interested in exploiting the singer’s death for financial gain.

Besides insisting that Mohbad would not be reburied until a DNA test is conducted on Liam, Aloba has pulled different stunts including wearing the late singer’s clothes and attempting to release an album as a tribute to his son. Mohbad’s management had also denied the existence of a will after Aloba claimed his son left one before he died.

On Wednesday, the coroner’s inquest into Mohbad’s death resumed at the Ikorodu magistrate court. Both Joseph and Abosede Aloba were in attendance while outside the court, Nollywood actor Yomi Fabiyi joined a peaceful protest alongside a crowd of supporters, calling for justice for Mohbad. Naira Marley and Sam Larry were noticeably absent in court — despite being served summon as key witnesses.

One year after his demise, Mohbad is yet to be reburied. But his music and legacy have continued to live on. Fellow artistes including Chike (‘Egwu’), Reminisce (‘Shina Peters’), Bella Shmurda (‘R2 Sept 12′), and Niphkeys (‘Alright’) have released hits recorded before his death.