"I tried my best to reach Naira Marley, but everything was in vain. When this issue happened, I wanted to trek to his house, but I was scared because I didn't know what I would meet there".
Joseph Aloba, the father of the late Nigerian singer Mohbad, has urged Nigerians to exercise restraint and avoid blaming Naira Marley for his son's untimely death.
Mohbad, 27, passed away on 12 September and was buried the following day in Ikorodu, Lagos State.
Several controversies and conspiracy theories have trailed Mohbad's death just as Naira Marley and Sam Larry have denied allegations suggesting their involvement in the singer's death.
Amid allegations of intimidation levelled against Naira Marley and potential involvement in the tragic loss of a young singer, Mr Aloba has reiterated that the Marlian Records boss may be innocent of the allegations.
In a recent interview with Sight Nigeria, Mr Aloba clarified some contentious issues surrounding his son's passing.
He described the late singer as his friend and the light of their family, emphasising that while his son faced challenges, they cannot definitively attribute his troubles to Naira Marley.
Mr Aloba said, "I hear a lot of things happened to him, but we can not say it is Naira Marley that killed him; he was attacked when he was doing this new album with Zlatan, but we cannot say it is Naira Marley because the people that attacked him are not Naira Marley."
Speaking on the steps he took to address the complaints by Mohbad that Naira Marley and others were assaulting him, Mr Aloba said, "I tried my best to reach Naira Marley, but everything was in vain. When this issue happened, I wanted to trek to his house, but I was scared because I didn't know what I would meet there.
There was a time that Naira Marley called me, but for me to call him back was not possible. Someone that you do not have contact with, it will be difficult for you to reach him. Naira Marley called me, but when he called me, I wasn't available; I would have gone to Naira Marley's house, but I did not have his contact, so we didn't reach each other".
Regarding his attempts to address Mohbad's complaints about being harassed by Naira Marley and others, Mr Aloba expressed his willingness to intervene but cited the lack of contact information as a barrier.
Drug allegations
Mr Aloba dismissed claims of his son's drug involvement but stated that he was assaulted at Naira Marley's house.
He recounted the events of Mohbad's attack, emphasising that he had personally visited his son's house and prayed for him. However, upon receiving a report that someone was beating his son, he rushed back but arrived too late to intervene.
He said, "Even the day that he and Naira Marley had an issue, I can defend it that my son was adequately okay because that very day, I entered his house and prayed for him, and he told me that he wanted to go and get something, I got a report that somebody was beating my son over there, but before I got there, everything was close, and he showed me the evidence that he was hit in the Marlain house.
Cause of death
Mr Aloba, who had earlier disclosed that he had a terrible dream two days before the demise of his son, said he was informed that his son was hospitalised on Tuesday.
He expressed scepticism about the circumstances and, upon reaching Mohbad's house, discovered that his son had already passed on.
He criticised those who allowed an unqualified nurse to attend to him, suspecting that the injection administered might have played a role in his son's demise.
"On that very Tuesday, I decided to stay at home, praying concerning the dream I had. By 4 O'clock, they told me I should come to VI to meet him at the hospital. On my way there, at the bus stop, they called me again to say that I should go back home and that everything had been settled. As an older adult, I knew that there was something behind that. That is not something they can tell me at the bus stop. So I refused. I went back to his house. I reached his house. He was already dead."
He also explained that he did not know those who took his late son to the hospital.
He said "I don't know exactly who they are. I can only blame them for allowing an auxiliary nurse to work on him at that level because Mohbad is not the kind of person they can put in a room and call a nurse. Which kind of nurse? Is she qualified?
"Mere examining what happened, that is not a qualified nurse giving him an injection inside a room. Maybe it is the effect of the injection that resulted in his death because, according to them, after giving him the injection, he started vomiting. One of his boys now decided that they should put him on an 'Okada' so they could take him to the hospital. That is what I was told."
Addressing speculations about head and neck injuries, Mr Aloba clarified that the damage was on Mohbad's hand, stemming from an incident involving a friend and an altercation. He emphasised that Mohbad did not complain about the injury on the day it occurred.'
According to him, the boys with Mohbad said one of the deceased singer's bosom friends met him at a show, exchanging pleasantries like usual. He said some of his son's boys were displeased by how they greeted him and asked the friend to leave Mohbad alone, but Mohbad insisted that his friend stayed with him and even allowed him into the car he rode in. He said he was told that when they got to their destination, Mohbad became angry and sustained the injury on his hand.
He said, "That very day, he did not complain to anybody. It was the following day that the hand became swollen, and that was when they called a nurse. I don't know the type of nurse they called.
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"I am the one that decided they should pick him up in Ikorodu for burial. I believe that God that gives and God that takes."
Naira Marley's condolence
Naira Marley's condolence came on the heels of a petition circulating against Marlian Musics, the record label helmed by Naira Marley himself, on the allegations suggesting potential links between the artist and the tragic demise of the singer.
The controversy surrounding Mohbad's death has led to a petition against Marlian Music, Naira Marley's record label. In response, Naira Marley called for a thorough inquiry into the circumstances of Mohbad's passing.
Despite their differences, Naira Marley expressed deep sorrow over the loss of Mohbad, describing him as more than just an artist but a brother and dear friend. Naira Marley pledged to assist in uncovering foul play and expressed regrets over the lack of a fitting burial for Mohbad.
The partnership between Naira Marley and Mohbad, which began in 2019, produced the "Light" EP, featuring prominent artists and marking Naira Marley as the executive producer. However, tensions arose in October 2022, leading to Mohbad's pursuit of independence by establishing his record label, "Imolenization."
The tragic demise of the 27-year-old singer, known for his relatable and streetwise lyrics, has left his fans mourning.
