Naira Marley, the Nigerian singer and leader of Marlian Records, has found himself at the center of a storm of controversy following the tragic demise of one of his former signees, Mohbad. The artist’s passing has shone a harsh light on allegations of ill-treatment and misconduct within the Marlian associations, and Mohbad, before his untimely death, was vocal about these issues.
In one of the viral videos preceding his passing, Mohbad had unequivocally expressed concerns over how he and others were being treated by Naira Marley and the Marlian crew. He went as far as stating that if anything were to happen to him, Nigerians should hold Naira Marley and his associates accountable.
These claims were not baseless. Naira Marley has a well-documented history of clashes with the law, particularly regarding alleged involvement in cybercrime and fraud. Records show that he was previously arrested multiple times by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria.
Adding fuel to the fire, a report published by the London news website Newsshopper on June 11, 2014, revealed that Naira Marley, along with four others, was declared wanted by the Lewisham Police for crimes ranging from robbery to sexual assault on a night bus. A 19-year-old Naira Marley was pictured in a mugshot, dressed in a black T-shirt and sporting a swollen left eye, with the caption identifying him as Azeez Fashola.
Naira Marley himself has claimed to have been arrested a staggering 124 times in England, proudly declaring his gangster persona. From the infamous track “Am I A Yahoo Boy” featuring Zlatan to the creation of the controversial Marlian Lifestyle, characterized by a disregard for societal norms, the artist’s music and lifestyle have courted controversies related to fraud and defiance.
Mohbad’s public outcry against Naira Marley’s alleged treacherous behavior was not an isolated incident. Another former signee, Lil Smart, had previously brought attention to the astonishing maltreatment within Marlian Records, directly implicating Naira Marley in a less than flattering light. Lil Smart went further to accuse Naira Marley of being involved in Mohbad’s demise, emphasizing that Mohbad had seen him as his only beacon of hope after both artists left the “devilish” record label.
In the wake of Mohbad’s tragic passing, Naira Marley offered condolences and empathetic posts on social media, attempting to showcase a compassionate side. However, netizens quickly unearthed contradicting actions on his Snapchat, revealing a seemingly celebratory lifestyle.
As public records lay bare Naira Marley’s criminal history, without any disavowal from the artist himself, Nigerians are raising their voices in a call for the cancellation of not just his music but also his label and everything it represents. This sentiment extends to current signees of Marlian Records like Zinoleesky, who has been implicated by Nigerians as a potential perpetrator in Mohbad’s recent untimely demise.
A babe is behind Mohbad crying and he’s mentioning names of people in Marlian Music that are after his life, he mentioned Zino and the entire label except “19”, I just pray he’s okay, this looks serious . pic.twitter.com/SS0rr9Pgu0
— OTUNBA (@ManLikeIcey) February 24, 2022
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