Mohbad’s Death: A Wake-up Call For Nigeria Police

How does one fittingly describe the flurry of emotions that swept through fans, friends, and loved ones of the young Afrobeats sensation—27-year-old Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, professionally known as Mohbad, whose troublingly mysterious passing was made public only recently, on Tuesday 12th, of September.

Misery rented the air like a foul stench since the shocking announcement. To his fans, a rising star had fallen. And to friends and family, an irreplaceable loss had been cruelly foisted on them.

Also attending the profound, widespread grief are the pained cries for justice to take a stand and stamp its authority. In this instance, justice has a simple albeit essential task to perform: to hold those responsible for Mohbad’s death duly accountable if, as widely speculated, certain sinister forces orchestrated his fatal end.

Speaking of probable murder and likely suspects, Naira Marley’s name seems on everyone’s lips. The fellow Afrobeats singer is the rallying symbol of the Marlian movement, corky and certainly controversial, and possibly staring down the barrel of a gun with fans threatening to cancel him. Mohbad was signed to his label until they parted ways in 2022 without camaraderie, champagne, or whatever substances the Marlian crew are partial to.

“Beefing” is commonplace in the entertainment industry. Artistes do get into it. They spew venom at each other, plunge knives into each other’s backs, and to ramp up the heat, they unfollow each other. It is all par for the course. They are human like the rest of us.

But this in-fighting does escalate, dangerously so on occasions. Global rap icons Tupac Shakur and Christopher George Wallace aka Biggie Smalls, come to mind. And so too does Suge Knight, the former CEO of Death Row Records, now currently serving a twenty-eight-year stretch for a 2015 murder.

Perhaps Naira Marley, the frighteningly cheery Sam Larry, and allies perceive themselves as Nigeria’s adaptation of Suge Knight and the disciples. If they don’t, many Nigerians have concluded that of them. For this reason, Naira Marley is shedding followership on his Instagram page like a snake shedding its skin. And Zinoleesky’s planned high-earning US tour has been cancelled, with paid-up fans angrily demanding a refund. The presumably distraught artiste was clearly undone by his affiliation with the Marlian tribe. Yet no hard evidence has come to light sufficient to pass the rigorous scrutiny of the legal process that firmly places the murder weapon in Naira Marley’s hands.

However, it is comprehensible that the matter of his possible involvement has been tried in the court of public opinion with judgment delivered. Naira Marley has been known to boast of his multiple brushes with the law in the UK. He had once proudly divulged his gang-related activities in a notorious patch of South London. The deceased, Mohbad, had repeatedly cried out for fear of his safety, alerting the public that the Marlian mafia was after him. To top it all, Naira Marley’s reaction has been lacklustre, almost nonchalant, for someone accused of murder. In the court of public opinion, these factors are damning evidence, enough to bay for the end of his career.

Indubitably, conjecture has overwhelmed the truth. Much has been reported across social media platforms about the Marlian clan’s possible involvement in Mohbad’s death, but very little has come to light by way of incontrovertible evidence. Without it, criminal proceedings are a non-starter. This leads to a final thought and the essence of this piece.

On whom lies the onus to gather evidence with a view to separate truth from innuendos? Did Mohbad die of natural causes? Or was his demise planned and executed? The truth can only be unveiled by investigators of the Nigeria Police Force. And this is why it raises concern that Mohbad was so hurriedly buried without something as vital as an autopsy, for instance.

In climes, where the pursuit of justice is prioritized above other considerations, a corpse is not released to the family until the police are through with their inquiries. Murder is primarily a crime against the State; therefore, a corpse remains in the custody of forensic scientists until the police determine otherwise.

In fairness, the police have released an official statement indicating their willingness to exhume the deceased’s body for an autopsy. It is both commendable and worrisome. To begin with, a whole week coasted along without hearing a pip from them. And when Nigerians finally did, we were informed that an exhumation would be ordered if need be. This laudable commitment by the police was in response to massive public outcry.

The question is, why did there have to be an outcry before taking up the matter? Shouldn’t it be standard police practice to investigate any death, whether or not the deceased is rich and famous? And why allow a body to be lowered into the ground if the cause of death is not first determined?

This is no police-bashing. But rather a stark reminder that Mohbad’s family, friends, and fans deserve closure, and they rely solely on the police to provide it. Moreover, Nigerians have expectations that the police take seriously their sworn duty to protect and serve. After all, that’s what friends do. Friends look out for each other. And the Nigeria Police Force is always keen to remind us of their friendship with the Nigerian citizenry. How about they now step up and be that friend they so strenuously profess?

David Kunle Agunbiade is an author, creative writer, spoken word artist, and doctoral research student (Ph.D.) in Creative and Critical Writing.

Disclaimer: This article is entirely the opinion of the writer and does not represent the views of The Whistler.