Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets of many cities in Nigeria to demand justice for Afrobeats singer MohBad, who died last Tuesday, Sept. 12 in a Lagos hospital.
The sudden passing of the “KPK” hitmaker, also known as Imole, has raised suspicions surrounding the cause of his death, especially since his family buried him just one day after. “The circumstances surrounding his death are truly painful and we are open to provide any cooperation necessary to the authors to carry out any investigations,” a statement on his Instagram account read. “Right now, we are focused on making sure the legacy of MohBad lives on and he is remembered as he was in his final months; free, strong, and fighting for his future.”
The outrage across the world has been widely directed toward fellow Nigerian superstar Naira Marley, who is the founder of MohBad’s former label, Marlian Records. The 27-year-old was signed to Marley’s company for just two years and it ended with a public feud in 2022. According to BBC News, the label and its artists are known for their “rebellious” and “non-conformist” reputations. Throughout his departure, MohBad accused the company of sabotaging his shows and multiple intimidation attempts. He even filed a petition against a party promoter after his video shoot was raided by armed men back in June.
Naira Marley himself has also called for a thorough investigation into MohBad’s death and promised to help out with “uncovering any foul play or injustice” in a statement posted to his Instagram page. See related posts below.
The hashtag #Justice4MohBad has been trending on Twitter since The Headies Award-nominated artist’s death and even A-list celebrities like Lil Durk, Meek Mill, and Kodak Black have paid tribute. “RIP MOHBAD aka Imole,” Durk tweeted. Shortly after, Meek Mill reposted and wrote, “I watched his whole story on TikTok!!!! [They’re] riding for him in Nigeria. I love that.”
“What’s so crazy right now is I just ran across this n**ga’s page this week,” Kodak said, after a fan commented that the rapper was his neighborhood hero during an Instagram Live session. “Sleep well wherever you are, man.”
I watched his whole story on tik tok!!!! They riding for him in Nigeria I love that! https://t.co/gwmVYbBT7G
— MeekMill (@MeekMill) September 20, 2023
Once the frustration and anger toward the matter went viral, Lagos police announced that the singer’s body has been exhumed for an autopsy. On Tuesday (Sept. 19), the city’s governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urged anyone with information to come forward and promised protection for the witnesses. “In order to boost the investigations, I have invited the Department of State Services (DSS) to join the investigation and widen the dragnet with interagency collaboration and use of best in class technology to unearth the truth,” he tweeted. “I have instructed that all those who may have played any role whatsoever in any event leading to the death of MohBad be made to face the law after a thorough investigation.”