Two Years After His Death, Mohbad’s Mystery Still Haunts Nigeria

September 12, 2025, marks two years since the tragic death of Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, better known as Mohbad, the fast-rising Nigerian artist whose passing at just 27 left a hole in the heart of Afrobeats.

What began as a shocking announcement in Lagos has since snowballed into one of the most controversial and unresolved stories in Nigeria’s entertainment history.

The circumstances remain as murky today as they were on that dark day in 2023. Despite intense public pressure, viral hashtags, and repeated promises from the authorities, the Lagos State Police Command admitted this year that Mohbad’s autopsy remains unresolved, leaving fans stuck in limbo. His death has since become more than a personal tragedy—it is a mirror reflecting the cracks in Nigeria’s justice system.

Almost instantly after his passing, the streets erupted with chants of Justice for Mohbad. The #Justice4MohBad movement went global, cutting across continents as Nigerians in the diaspora staged candlelight processions in London, New York, and Toronto. His image, now immortalized in viral edits such as a haunting artwork of him playing chess with “Rest in Peace (Mohbad)” written across the board, became both a symbol of remembrance and a chilling reminder that the truth is yet to be uncovered.

Yet, in death, Mohbad’s music has spoken louder than ever. His catalog, a fusion of street-hop grit and lyrical vulnerability, experienced a surge that defied industry norms. By early 2024, his tracks topped Apple Music Nigeria and earned him a place in Boomplay’s Golden Club with over 100 million streams. Posthumous tributes poured in from both fans and fellow artists, cementing his legacy as not just a musician but a voice of his generation.

The mystery deepened when Perez Medcare Hospital’s 2023 report confirmed that a nurse’s injection triggered the fatal reaction that ended his life. But the medical explanation did little to ease public suspicion. On social media, disturbing videos resurfaced, showing Mohbad allegedly being harassed, with fans pointing fingers at his former boss, Naira Marley, and associate Sam Larry. Both men were taken into custody in 2024, but with no conclusive evidence yet established, the accusations linger in the public domain like smoke that refuses to clear.

Two years on, the anger has not faded. If anything, it has become sharper, fueled by the belief that Mohbad’s story reflects a broader culture of impunity where the powerful often escape accountability. His case has sparked debates not just about artist welfare in Nigeria’s cutthroat music industry, but also about the fragile relationship between fame, exploitation, and protection in an environment where upcoming stars are too often left vulnerable.

In Lagos today, fans are expected to gather at designated spots for another round of candlelight vigils. Across social media, his songs like Peace and Feel Good are already trending again, serving as both tribute and protest. For many, every lyric now feels like prophecy, every beat a reminder of what was lost too soon.

Mohbad’s story is far from over. The investigations drag on, the suspects maintain their innocence, and the courts remain silent. But for millions who loved him, the truth is already written in the grief that refuses to fade.

Two years gone, and still no justice. But Mohbad’s voice continues to echo louder than the silence of those who should have spoken.