BY: HighCelebritySquard
On September 12, 2023, Street pop star, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, aka Mohbad, sadly died at age 27.
The news sent shockwaves through the Nigerian entertainment scene, throwing everyone into a state of grief.
Who was Mohbad?
In 2020, Mohbad emerged among a band of Neo-Fuji artists who combine street, cultural and foreign influences in their songs. He soon became a fast-rising star under the Marlian Music record label, headed by popular singer, Naira Marley, until he left the label in 2022, becoming independent.
Mohbad became a force to be reckoned with musically and was an easily relatable celebrity with music for the streets that Nigerians vibed with.
What happened to Mohbad?
According to the police, the singer was administered injections by a quack nurse named Feyisayo Ogedengbe. Said injections, consisting of tetanus toxoid, paracetamol, and an antibiotic known as Cetrazone triggered an immediate reaction, including vomiting, goosebumps and convulsions, after which he passed.
He was then rushed to Perez Medcare Hospital for medical attention, but was pronounced dead on arrival. According to a statement by the medical facility, he did not die in their hospital, and all efforts at resuscitation failed.
The burial
Mohbad was buried the very next day in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State by his family. The early burial confused the singer’s fans and Nigerians at large, given that he was not a Muslim.
However, Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, spoke up, stressing that he was quickly buried because he was young. He also noted that the land on which he was buried was the only property that he knew his son owned.
Call for investigations and an autopsy
Shortly after his passing, Nigerians began to clamour for an investigation into his death, considering its sudden nature. According to people around Mohbad, he had performed at a concert two days before his passing and there was nothing wrong with him. This then raised the question in everyone’s mind “What happened to Mohbad?”
A social media campaign by Nigerians began demanding that an autopsy be conducted on Mohbad to determine the cause of his death. Petitions were written to the Governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and to the state’s head coroner as well.
The Nigeria police force swung into action and launched an official investigation into his passing, and dug up his body from the grave in Ikorodu for an autopsy.
Naira Marley and Sam Larry
Between 2020 and 2022, Mohbad was signed to Naira Marley’s record label under which he released some of his biggest hit songs.
Before his death, he was involved in a legal battle with the record label to recover some of his royalties. Following his passing, videos surfaced online of assault and harassment he suffered at the hands of music promoter Sam Larry and the record label. The most damning video was one made by Mohbad himself crying that Naira Marley be held responsible if anything happened to him.
The reemergence of the videos on social media after his death enraged Nigerians to call for Marley and Larry’s immediate arrest. But at the time, both parties were out of the country and claimed innocencebecause neither of them were in Nigeria when the singer passed away.
Upon invitation by the police, both suspects returned to Nigeria to assist with the ongoing investigations.
A befitting send-forth
Nigerians did not view the hasty burial in Ikorodu as befitting for the much-loved singer, therefore his management arranged a candlelight procession and tribute concert in his honour. The September 21 procession started at the Lekki Phase One gate and down to the popular Muri Okunola Park in Victoria Island, where the tribute concert also took place. Hundreds of devoted fans turned up for the event to support the late singer, and celebrities like Falz andDavido were in attendance.
The investigations
The police disclosed that a total of 26 people, including members of Mohbad’s family, had been questioned in connection to his death.
Ogendengbe, the nurse who administered the injections to the singer at his residence, has been named the prime suspect but is yet to be arraigned.
Mohbad’s friend, Ayobami Sadiq, aka Spending, who invited Ogendengbe to treat the singer in his Lekki home has also been named a suspect, alongside another friend, Primeboy, who reportedly had a physical altercation with him a day before his death.
Due to evidence linking them with cyberbullying, physical abuse, a threat to life, and assault against Mohbad, Marley and Larry are also considered suspects and have been remanded to police custodyfor 21 days.
Mohbad is survived by his wife, son, father, and mother. May he continue to rest in peace.
