Nigerian social commentator Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has released a video discussing a newly circulated audio recording purportedly involving late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
The video has reignited public discussion about the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death, with VDM drawing attention to statements allegedly made by the singer before his death and raising questions about his final days, personal devices, music royalties and ongoing family disputes.
Mohbad, a former Marlian Records artiste, died in September 2023 at the age of 27. His death generated widespread public concern and prompted calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his passing.
In the newly discussed recording, a voice purported to be Mohbad’s can be heard speaking in an emotional and distressed manner.
The speaker repeatedly swears to God while denying involvement with a hospital and expressing concern about his phone, WhatsApp account and other personal information.
At different points in the recording, the speaker appears to be searching for another phone and asking questions about devices and conversations.
The discussion surrounding the audio has now prompted renewed questions about what may have happened in the period leading up to Mohbad’s death.
One of the most serious aspects highlighted by VDM was an alleged statement in which Mohbad reportedly told his family that if he died, the public should know who he believed was responsible.
According to VDM, the singer repeatedly expressed the belief that someone wanted to kill him.
VDM said the recording captured what he described as the singer’s fear, pain and frustration, arguing that the statements deserved serious attention.
The commentator also claimed that Mohbad allegedly warned that certain people would eventually regret their actions.
However, the recording, as presented in the discussion, does not by itself establish whether the threats or fears expressed by the speaker were based on verified events. The identity of the people being referred to and the precise circumstances surrounding the conversation would need to be independently established.
VDM also claimed that the audio was recorded by a woman identified as Cynthia, whom he described as someone who was close to Mohbad.
According to him, Cynthia allegedly made the recording before it eventually surfaced publicly.
The circumstances surrounding how the audio was obtained and circulated remain important questions.
It would also be necessary to establish the exact date the recording was made, who was present during the conversation, whether the recording is complete and whether any portion of it was edited before being released.
Those details could be important in determining the context of the statements attributed to Mohbad.
Another major issue raised in the video concerns Mohbad’s mobile phones and digital communications.
In the audio, the speaker repeatedly asks about the whereabouts of another phone and appears concerned about information contained on the device.
There are also references to WhatsApp, iCloud and conversations allegedly stored on the phones.
VDM used the discussion to raise questions about the possible importance of Mohbad’s digital records in understanding the events surrounding his final days.
Phone records, WhatsApp conversations, cloud backups and other digital evidence can potentially provide a timeline of communications and interactions. However, no conclusion about what such records may contain can be reached without access to and authentication of the relevant data.
The video also turned to the financial side of Mohbad’s legacy, particularly royalties generated from his music after his death.
VDM alleged that some of Mohbad’s songs continued to generate substantial streaming revenue.
He specifically referenced songs released or distributed through 1RPM after Mohbad’s departure from Marlian Records.
According to VDM, Mohbad’s music continued to attract listeners after his death, meaning that his catalogue could potentially be generating significant royalties.
He also mentioned Mohbad’s collaboration with singer Chike, suggesting that the song’s international reach and streaming performance could have contributed substantially to the late singer’s posthumous earnings.
VDM questioned why Mohbad’s family was allegedly experiencing financial difficulties despite the continued commercial exploitation and streaming of his music.
The actual amount generated by the catalogue, however, cannot be established from the claims in the video alone.
Such figures would have to be confirmed through royalty statements, streaming data, distribution agreements, publishing records and information from the relevant rights holders and music distributors.
VDM also raised questions about the management of Mohbad’s affairs following his death.
He referred to allegations concerning ownership, documentation and decisions allegedly taken by people close to the late singer.
According to the claims discussed in the video, some members of Mohbad’s family were allegedly not informed about certain steps involving the singer’s estate.
These claims have not been independently established and would require documentary evidence to determine what occurred and who had legal authority to make decisions concerning the estate.
The issue is particularly significant because the death of an artiste with an active music catalogue can create complicated questions involving royalties, copyright, publishing rights, masters, distribution agreements and inheritance.
The video also revisited the events surrounding the final period of Mohbad’s life.
VDM questioned the circumstances in which the singer spent his final days and raised concerns about people who him at the time were allegedly around.
He argued that the latest audio should not simply be dismissed and called attention to what he described as statements that could potentially provide additional context to the investigation.
The renewed debate comes amid years of public disagreement over different accounts of what happened to Mohbad before his death.
Various claims have circulated publicly since September 2023, but allegations made on social media or in commentary videos do not constitute proof of criminal responsibility.
The emergence of the audio has once again generated calls for authorities and other relevant stakeholders to examine available evidence surrounding Mohbad’s death.
Such an examination could include the authentication of the recording, analysis of phone and digital records, examination of financial and royalty documents, witness testimony and other evidence that could establish a reliable timeline of events.
The identity and relationship of individuals mentioned in the recording would also need to be established before conclusions could responsibly be drawn from the statements.
Mohbad’s death remains one of the most widely discussed controversies in Nigeria’s entertainment industry in recent years.
The singer, who gained prominence through his music and collaborations with other Nigerian artistes, died in September 2023 at the age of 27.
His death generated an enormous public reaction, with fans and members of the public demanding answers about the circumstances surrounding his passing.
The subsequent investigations, public accusations and legal disputes have continued to fuel debate, while different individuals have offered competing accounts of events.
The latest video released by VDM has added another layer to that debate by drawing attention to an audio recording purportedly made before Mohbad’s death.
For now, the contents of the recording should be treated as allegations and reported claims until they are independently authenticated and corroborated by evidence.
The renewed attention also places greater focus on the need for transparency over the singer’s digital records, estate and music royalties, as well as any evidence capable of clarifying the circumstances surrounding his final days.
As the controversy continues, the central questions remain whether the newly circulated recording is authentic, what circumstances surrounded its creation, what other evidence supports or contradicts the statements attributed to Mohbad, and how his music and estate have been managed since his death.
