British-Nigerian singer and founder of Marlian Records, Azeez “Naira Marley” Fashola, has finally broken his silence on the controversial and unresolved death of his former signee, Ilerioluwa “Aloba” Mohbad, almost three years after the tragic event. Through a viral documentary released on the record label’s official YouTube page, Naira Marley presented his side of the story, addressing the myriad allegations, counter-claims, and public scrutiny that have surrounded him since Mohbad’s passing. He had largely refrained from public statements despite ongoing controversies, including coroner’s rulings, autopsy reports, police investigations, and disputes over royalties.

In the documentary, the 34-year-old artist made several allegations, offering behind-the-scenes insights into Mohbad’s life and struggles. He accused Mohbad’s wife, his fellow signee Zinoleesky, and an unnamed friend—allegedly responsible for introducing the late singer to hard drugs—of complicity. Marley also touched upon Mohbad’s parents and the specifics of the singer’s short-lived contract with Marlian Records.

Naira Marley adamantly denied any involvement in Mohbad’s death or bullying him. He recounted their relationship from its inception, stating he announced Mohbad at Marlian Fest in December 2019, believing he would become a star. Marley claimed he first learned about Mohbad’s drug use, specifically “Ice” (which he later understood to be crack), on June 7, 2020. He asserted that he advised Mohbad against it, understanding that the singer attributed his drug use to stress. Marley also detailed a bank account dispute in November 2020, where Mohbad initially claimed an account was his mother’s, but it was later revealed to be linked to his partner’s family. Marley insisted he ceased payments to that account, and Mohbad eventually began using his own.

Marley revisited the February 2022 NDLEA raid on Marlian House, stating he was in Sweden when it occurred. He mentioned that Mohbad, along with others, was arrested after a scuffle with officers. Following this, Mohbad went live, accusing Marley and others of endangering his life, and also implicated his partner and Zinoleesky. Marley stated that upon his return, he paid Mohbad’s hospital bills and tried to get him help, despite not fully understanding the accusations. After the NDLEA incident, Mohbad moved out of Marlian House but maintained contact, releasing songs like ‘Ronaldo’ and ‘Peace’ within the label.

A significant revelation from Marley was an alleged suicide attempt by Mohbad on March 27, 2022, while Marley was in Puerto Rico. He recounted receiving calls and messages about Mohbad trying to jump from a window. Marley said he spoke to Mohbad, urging him not to harm himself, reminding him of his worth, and forgiving him for prior accusations. He dispatched Zinoleesky and others from Marlian House, including Mohbad’s father, to be with him, leading to what seemed like a period of reconciliation and shared activities. Mohbad also attended the Marlian Day celebration on May 30, performing a song he was featured on, which Marley cited as evidence of their good relationship post-incidents.

The documentary further delved into a managerial dispute between Mohbad and his self-chosen manager, Tunde, in October 2022. Marley explained that Mohbad became intoxicated and confronted Tunde at the studio. A fight ensued, which Marley intervened to stop. Shortly after, tweets accusing Marlian Records of attacking Mohbad surfaced, which Marley suspected were fabricated by someone else with access to Mohbad’s account, as Mohbad knew Tunde was not Marley’s brother. On October 7, 2022, Marley received a contract termination letter from Mohbad’s lawyer. Marley claimed he sent all payment logs and allowed Mohbad to leave, despite his investments, stating he let him go even after Mohbad allegedly withdrew $72,000 from a DSP partner without his knowledge.

Regarding Mohbad’s death on September 12, 2023, Marley insisted he was not in Nigeria, stating he was in Europe with Zinoleesky, specifically Montenegro, after visiting his children in Amsterdam. He claimed he learned of Mohbad’s death through rumors and then Instablog reports attributing it to an ear infection, followed by old videos resurfacing to implicate him. Marley also addressed a viral clip of Sam Larry confronting Mohbad, claiming he saw it online like everyone else and that Zlatan had privately confirmed nothing violent happened at that shoot. He denied ever bullying Mohbad or sending anyone to harass him, also dismissing a viral Snapchat clip of him dancing after Mohbad’s death as an old video used to frame him. On the financial front, Marley pledged that Mohbad’s royalties remain untouched and would be handed over to whoever the court or his family appoints.

Reactions to Naira Marley’s documentary have been significant. Former Presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, expressed that he would not have believed Naira Marley’s innocence if the singer hadn’t documented everything. Ahmad suggested that all accusers should now apologize to Marley. In a notable development, Oriyomi Hamzat, founder of Ibadan-based radio station Agidigbo 88.7 FM, publicly apologized to Naira Marley and lifted the ban on Marlian songs that had been in place since 2024 due to the allegations. Hamzat announced that Agidigbo FM would resume playing Naira Marley’s tracks, immediately playing “Tesumole” to affirm his directive. While the coroner’s inquest concluded that Mohbad died due to medical negligence, recommending the prosecution of the nurse involved, and activist Martin “VeryDarkMan (VDM)” Otse conducted his own investigation implicating others, the controversy surrounding Mohbad’s demise, particularly after Naira Marley’s fresh claims, remains far from settled.