Actress Iyabo Ojo has responded after singer Naira Marley shared private conversations between them on social media.
On Monday, Naira Marley posted screenshots of their chats, dating back to 2021 and 2022, where Iyabo invited him to various events, including a memorial party for her late mother, and asked for his help promoting her adopted son and nephew’s music careers.
In one message, Iyabo wrote, “Hello dear, I really want you to help me with one of my nephews. I want him to come see you so you can help me listen to his music and see if it’s something I can invest in.” Naira Marley replied, “Okay can he come asap? When can he come?? So sorry for this late reply.”
The singer did not explain why he decided to leak the private conversations.
Responding on Instagram, Iyabo Ojo reposted the screenshots and issued a lengthy statement, emphasizing her long history of supporting young artists.
She wrote, “As a TikTok sensation, I’ve promoted several artists’ songs, including Naira Marley’s. In 2020, I promoted his song after his team reached out to me through my son Festus. He thanked me via DM and I later invited him to my movie premiere and my mother’s burial party.”
“I’ve always supported young artists, whether by promoting their music, offering them my lounge for events, or introducing them to producers like Naira Marley. For example, Fabian was signed by Naira Marley but left due to personal reasons, while my nephew’s music style didn’t fit his label.”
Iyabo continued, “However, when disturbing videos and petitions surfaced alleging that Sam Larry, Naira Marley’s associate, bullied Mohbad—a young artist who later died—I questioned Naira Marley’s silence. I never accused him of killing Mohbad, but the evidence showed that Mohbad was under threat.”
“My issue with Naira Marley is his failure to speak out against the bullying of Mohbad. I’ve also been made aware of other serious allegations against him, and if necessary, these will be addressed in court.”
The actress added, “I engage with many celebrities in my DMs, but I won’t ignore injustice. If Naira Marley thought our past conversations would silence me, he was mistaken.”
Iyabo Ojo became a vocal critic of Naira Marley after the controversial death of Mohbad, a former Marlian Music signee, in September 2023. She accused the singer of playing a role in Mohbad’s struggles.
In December 2023, Naira Marley sued Iyabo for alleged defamation, claiming she falsely accused him of being linked to Mohbad’s troubles.
His lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, argued that Iyabo’s social media posts implied the singer had both spiritual and physical influence over Mohbad, causing him mental distress.
Iyabo responded by filing a counter-lawsuit, further intensifying the legal dispute between the two public figures.
