Nigerian artist Azeez Fashola, better known as Naira Marley, has spoken out following the ruling by the Yaba Magistrate Court that cleared him and others of any involvement in the death of fellow singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Naira Marley revealed that despite their past disagreements, he and Mohbad had reconciled before the singer’s tragic death.
Expressing frustration over the handling of the situation, Marley criticized the delays in Mohbad’s burial and the ever-changing stories about his death.
“I never thought silence could be so loud,” Marley wrote. “I never imagined someone I considered a brother, someone I protected, would leave this world with my name attached to his shadow. I’ve carried this weight, this pain, this shame that was never mine to bear.
“We, as Marlians, were not perfect. We had to grow, we had to adapt. Mistakes were made, but they were business—never war. I made peace with Mohbad. We understood each other beyond the noise and misunderstandings. And you know this.
“Yet when he took his last breath in your arms, you pointed fingers at me. You let them tear me apart. You let them call me a killer while you knew the truth. Now you tell the story?
“I welcomed you all into my home. I gave you my trust. And yet, my brother is gone, still not buried, and that’s on you. Telling the truth from the beginning would’ve given him the rest he deserved. Regardless, I’ll always be there for him.
“You never thought I would survive. You never thought I would walk through the fire and face my people. Maybe you hoped I would flee. You thought I would run. Instead, I stood before the justice system, spent time in jail, and confronted everything head-on while you changed the narrative over and over.
“But God sees all. The truth does not waver. The lies will fade, and time will reveal everything.
“I’ve been broken, but I’m not destroyed. And when the truth finally emerges, I pray your heart is strong enough to bear it.”
Marley’s statement follows a court ruling on Tuesday that exonerated him, his associate Sam Larry, and Prime Boy of any involvement in Mohbad’s death.
However, the court did find that the auxiliary nurse who administered an injection to Mohbad, as well as his friend Ayobami, would face charges for reckless and negligent actions.
Since Mohbad’s tragic death, Naira Marley has been under intense public scrutiny, with many accusing him of being involved, despite his repeated denials.
