“Music is the food of the soul” – Arthur Schopenhauer
The sudden death of Ilerioluwa Aloba, 27 years old young Nigerian musician – also known as MohBad – which shook the foundation of the Nigerian music industry was avoidable. It is an invite to protect our societal values. Until his death, he was a member of the Marlian Record Label owned by Azeez Fashola – Naira Marley. Naira Marley’s notorious gangsterism, embarrassing street philosophy and values dares acceptable societal norms. His fans are also notoriously deranged, gullible students and disciples of depravities. Their weird belief stops them from going to school, they sag trousers and do not wear belts, members smoke weed and inhale substances; girls do not wear undies and a few others. Consequently, many did not recorgnise the quantum of tonic MohBad’s music supplied to their souls. Music according to Kanye West “isn’t just music, its medicine.” It is a universal language. Since the death of the young man – the power of music as a tool for societal transformation has resonated. The impact of music on the lives of people especially the young ones was felt. Nigeria was united in anger, pain and bitterness over his death. The reality of it all is that we are all MohBad – dying silently in a nation where law and order has refused to prevail. MohBad died because the law and justice system failed him. He died because his record label was allegedly not fair to him. Leadership failed him because the system refused to protect him. Verifiable reports and accounts in the public domain confirmed steps taken by the deceased regarding threat to his life. He sought protection under the law by petitioning the Nigerian police on the danger lurking around him. Every life should matter. But the Nigerian state and law never bothered to activate her responsibility of protecting lives. And the man died.
The conspiracy theory around his passing notwithstanding, his death would have been avoided if the police had done their job accordingly. He would have been alive if we had paid closer attention. We have suddenly become a serious nation working round the clock to find out what killed him. The same police that could not act on a petition regarding threat to his life is now actively working. They set up a committee and had exhumed his body for autopsy. One wonders what genuine purpose it will serve. A system that cannot save the living, has no business interrogating the cause of death. Anyways, his death enriches the pockets of some individuals. In the end, Nigerians will wake up to see a worthless autopsy result. How many have died like MohBad without justice? If MKO Abiola, a philanthropist and business mogul, former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party and adjudged winner of the 1993 presidential elections and Bola Ige, popular, powerful, an ex-minster of the Federal Republic could be murdered in a controversial circumstance and Nigeria could not make a head or tail out of it, who thinks this one will be different? Many Nigerians have found themselves in the same precarious situation like MohBad, but the system failed to offer help let alone save them. The world will continue to remind us of our laxity on the sad and avoidable death of the young star.
Africa is known to live a communal life defined by brotherly love. Every child belongs to the society while what affects one affects all. Conversely, we have become more isolated, individualistic and have abandoned our core value system. We no longer talk about good name being better than gold. In one of the songs of MohBad, he captured vividly his problems, worries and state of mind and warned that “this kind life don tire me” but nobody took note. He confessed about the crime he was involved in when he pointedly said, “I don dey do yahoo, I don dey take banku.” He lamented the absence of parental care in his life with the following lines, “ten years I no see mummy; step mother no care.” How to put food on the table for his brothers and the need for shelter were also sources of concern to him. – “landlord e dey worry; my brothers are hungry.” Like most youths now, he went to poly but refused to read, “Daddy gather money make I go poly; I go poly but I no go class.” He remembered his status as the son of a pastor, concluded like many Nigerians with asking for prayer, “Omo pastor ni woti aye, Mummy just dey pray, Daddy just dey pray for me, Make e better for me.” The concerns he raised are germane societal problems begging for attention. Not even his family, close friends and or label read any meaning to his songs. In another song he made a clear statement about his death and how unprecedented love will pour in. He bared his mind. All of us were carried away by the beats and not the meaning. His prophesy came to pass as the love of him in death has been unimaginably pouring in.
There is something fundamentally wrong with the global music industry. The record label and signees relationship has always been frosty. The bitter relationship between Sunny Ade and his record label owned by Chief Bolarinwo Abioro which ended in court was a good example of frustrated dreams under most if not all record labels. Popular musicians like Wiz Kid, Kiss Daniel and others have had a fair share of one ugly experience or the other with their record labels. Stories behind the scene, actions and behaviours of some popular musicians are generally repulsive. Some musicians are said to be engaged in various forms of nefarious activities. Videos of Azeez Fashola, owner of Marlian Record Label where MohBad plied his trade suggest he is a known societal imp and consumer of illicit substances. He was in police net a number of times for various wrong reasons. Still, this man is a role model who people regard as their idols and follow religiously.
One stands to be corrected that some genres of music like R&B, Afro-beat, Afro-hip hop and the likes have done more harm than good to the Nigerian society. The usual messages of freedom, hope, change, societal regeneration and transformation were completely lost with these kind of music in the lead. What we hear and watch are mostly rubbish, lewd and obscene contents dominating the airwaves. Immoral, unhelpful and ultimately detrimental to the growth of the society. Music is a business and labels are out to make money. However, we should not lose track of the humanity in us. Young artists should also be told that being famous is excellent but values matter. Understanding the letters of their contracts before anxiously putting pen to paper is compulsory. Music is a vocation which has placed Nigeria on the global stage. It is a revenue earner and creates job opportunities. Therefore, government should pay more attention to an industry that has brought so much honour, respect and dignity to the country. It should be adequately regulated to provide a level playing field for all stakeholders. “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything” – Plato. May the soul of MohBad and the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
Sunday Onyemaechi Eze, a Media and Development Communication Specialist writes via sunnyeze02@yahoo.com and can be reached on 08060901201
