Nigerian artist Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, has broken his silence after a Yaba Magistrate Court ruling cleared him and others of any involvement in the death of fellow musician Ilerioluwa Aloba, known as Mohbad.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Marley expressed frustration over the accusations leveled against him, despite having made peace with Mohbad before his passing.
“I never thought silence could be so loud,” he wrote. “I never thought someone I called my brother, someone I protected, would leave this world with my name in his shadow. I have carried this weight, this pain, this shame that was never mine to bear.”
He criticized those who, in his view, allowed false narratives to spread, accusing them of shifting the story while he faced public scrutiny and legal battles.
“You let them tear me apart. You let them call me a killer while you sat there, knowing the truth. Now you tell the story?” he questioned.
Marley, who was arrested alongside his associate Sam Larry in connection with Mohbad’s death, faced intense public backlash, with many fans and critics blaming him for the singer’s tragic passing.
However, on Tuesday, the court ruled that there was no case against Marley, Sam Larry, and Prime Boy. Instead, the court found that an auxiliary nurse who administered an injection to Mohbad, along with the artist’s friend Ayobami, would face prosecution for reckless and negligent acts.
Mohbad, a former signee of Marley’s Marlian Music, left the label following a public fallout, leading to tensions between the two. His untimely death in September 2023 sparked widespread outrage, with demands for justice and accountability.
Despite his exoneration, Marley acknowledged the damage the accusations had done to his reputation. He vowed to stand firm and let the truth unfold over time.
“But God sees all. The truth does not shake. The lies will fade, and time will reveal everything,” he wrote.
