- Body exhumed for autopsy
A crowd of New Yorkers gathered at the Times Square to get a glimpse of Mohbad on the towering billboard. Passersby were completely transfixed- unsure of the individual who had died so young at 27. Imole is the special moniker for the street hop artist, Mohbad who has suffered a tumultuous life before his death on September 12, 2023.
Peaceful candlelight processions were reported in Edo, Enugu, Lagos where A-list starts such as Davido, Zlatan and Falz performed. Also, Nigerian residents in Peckham, South London known to be Naira Marley’s ‘homestead’ in United Kingdom stood up in solidarity for the call for justice. Naira Marley, Mohbad’s former boss and collaborator, had lived and dominated the streets of Peckham before he returned to Nigeria to establish himself as a grime star in the burgeoning music scene in Africa’s most populous nation.
After a successful career in music, Naira Marley started his own record label, Marlian Records where he sought to promote young and talented music stars. Mohbad happened to be one of his earliest signees who joined the label in 2019. After a sour relationship, Mohbad called it quits with the label in October 2022 and this decision allegedly led to a series of physical assaults and torture. After living in constant fear, poverty and depression, Mohbad found his voice again and launched an EP titled ‘Blessed’ in April this year. He had his first international tour in Europe and was said to be preparing for a tour of Canada before his demise.
The outrage from notable celebrities has been resounding echoing in different parts of the world. Foreign rappers like Kodak Black, Lil Durk and Meek Mill have expressed their condolence to Nigeria for the loss and commended Nigerians for the call for justice. Ghana’s dancehall legend, Shatta Wale and Steflon Don had earlier offered their condolence message via social media,
The Nigeria Police has commenced investigation into the cause of death of the late singer-songwriter and rapper. His body which was buried in Gberigbe, Ikorodu had been exhumed for an autopsy. The nurse who attended to Mohbad before his death at the hospital has always been called for questioning by the police.
Many Nigerians are expecting that Mohbad’s former boss, Naira Marley and his sidekick Sammy Larry would be invited by the police due to the allegations made by Mohbad’s family members of their constant threats and intimidation. it is obvious that the police await an autopsy result and may embark on a coroner’s inquest instead of making arrests without concrete evidence.