Our Reporter September 30, 2023
Two weeks after the demise of a rising music star, formerly signed on Marlian Records, MohBad, a singer and the owner of the Marlian Records, Azeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley has spoken on his relationship with the late ex-signee.
In an interview with a Nigerian author and social media influencer, Reno Omokri, on the micro-blogging site, X, Naira Marley opened up on his relationship with MohBad claiming he knew nothing about MohBad’s death.
The interview is coming hours after Naira Marley released a statement dissociating himself and his record label from the death of MohBad.
Emphasising that he had no hand in MohBad’s death either directly or indirectly, Naira Marley said, “I’ve been out of Nigeria from the 31st of August, I’ve been with my family. Until today, I haven’t been to Nigeria.
Two, he’s left Marlian Music since 2022 and we have not stopped him from dropping music or anything ever since. So when I heard about his death it was shocking to me. I was out of the country as well, so I had to find out what was wrong just as everybody was trying to find out what was wrong with him online.
“I’m seeing all the lies too, but we have to focus on the facts like who was he with? How did he die? If you’re blaming me, how did I kill him? I have nothing to do with his death. I was so hurt when I heard myself; I have nothing whatsoever to do with his death.”
Reacting to a viral video that saw Mohbad claiming Naira Marley should be held responsible if he died, the singer and father of two said, “Looking at the video again, I was getting information from everybody that was there during the incident trying to send someone to the NDLEA before I got back. The next day when I got back, they said Mohbad was not among the people. I didn’t have to bail Mohbad out when I got back anyway. It was only Zino and the rest that I had to bail out, Mohbad was already out. Zino was still in with NDLEA at this time when he made that video, I wasn’t around I was outside Nigeria. When he made that video saying if he dies they hold Naira Marley and the Marlians responsible. When I got back, I met him and spoke to him to ask what was wrong and he said he didn’t understand and he apologised.”
Continuing, Naira Marley said MohBad was suicidal and he tried his best to help him get help despite the obvious that he had left his music label.
He began, “I have videos of me speaking to him and the only reason I have those videos again is because there was a time when I was in America his girl called me to say he locked himself in the toilet and he wanted to kill himself so I called him from there and I recorded the conversation. I’m like why do you wanna kill yourself? You’re a king, if the family is stressing you out (because this time he was with his family) just tell them to go, chill, do what you wanna do don’t kill yourself, if you kill yourself now what do you want people to say? You just made a video not long ago saying if you die they should hold Naira Marley, what do you want people to say?
“He locked himself in the room. This was after he made a video that I wanted to kill him and I was so concerned for him so I called him to just give him rest of mind.
“I was recording because he wanted to commit suicide. I had to look out for him. In the video, I was trying to find out what was wrong with him so I could be able to help but he said only his mom and dad understood what was wrong with him.
“Along the line in the video, I said let me speak to your mom and dad if they don’t mind, he said okay, that’s when I went to his room, His mom and dad were in his room which is that video going round, they cut some part. I went to his room to speak to his parents to find out what’s wrong, they said they noticed he was not okay as well and they needed to take care of him. I said okay; just make sure you protect him. Don’t let him run out and start making noise in the middle of the night, don’t stress him out.”
