Mohbad: Why justice must prevail

October 4, 2023

The controversies surrounding the death of the young and promising 27-year-old music artiste have led to various peaceful protests across several parts of the country.

The artiste, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, known as Mohbad, was born on June 8, 1996, in Lagos and he died on September 12, 2023. He was a former artist on the label called Marlians Music owned by Naira Marley, also a music artiste. He recorded a lot of songs and featured several artists in the music industry, until he liberated himself from the record label on October 5, 2022. He accused his boss and gangs of assaulting him physically after he requested to have a manager of his own to manage his music affairs. There are also videos of a social promoter, Sammy Larry, an associate of Naira Marley, harassing him and destroying some of his properties.

Consequently, his death has aroused suspicion. An investigation has begun with the exhumation of the artiste’s body. An autopsy has been successfully completed as confirmed by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, on social media. The results are now being awaited. However, on the day the body was exhumed, there were reports of the police shooting and firing teargas on protesters demanding justice for Mohbad in Lekki. When is this going to stop?

In my opinion, advocating justice for the deceased is progressing from the part of individuals volunteering to engage in peaceful protests across the country, and there is also the need to engage human rights advocates in the process.

Many individuals are showing distrust in the investigation process because a lot consider the country as one that does not upholds justice. But the truth be told, people need to start trusting and believing the system process to conduct a befitting investigation.

Justice should know no bounds. It must surpass any individual immunity and give equal treatment for all, so that offenders can be appropriately brought to book. This will surely make people believe and trust the system more.