Ex-Presidential Aide Says Naira Marley Deserves Apology from Mohbad’s Accusers

This follows Naira Marley's recent public account detailing events leading up to the death of his former signee, Mohbad.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Ahmad admitted he hadn’t followed the case closely until now, but after watching Naira Marley’s detailed explanation, he believes the artist has been wrongly accused.

Bashir Ahmad, former Senior Special Assistant on New Media/Digital Communications to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has weighed in on the ongoing controversy between popular singer Azeez Fashola, known professionally as Naira Marley, and the late rapper Ilerioluwa Aloba, also known as Mohbad.

Ahmad’s comments come in the wake of a documentary released by Naira Marley, in which the singer offered his side of the story surrounding Mohbad’s time at Marlian Music, his exit from the label, and the events leading up to his untimely death.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Ahmad revealed that he had only recently taken time to follow the case in detail. “I have never really taken time to go through the Naira Marley and Mohbad saga,” he wrote. “I was only vaguely aware of the headlines and social media reactions, until this morning, when I watched the video where Naira Marley shared his own side of the story.”

Ahmad expressed surprise at the thoroughness of the documentation provided by Naira Marley, noting that the artist backed his statements with evidence including messages, calls, videos, and dates. “Honestly, I wouldn’t have believed him if he hadn’t documented everything so thoroughly... That habit alone can save you from injustice and false narratives,” he added.

He went on to say that those who had previously accused Naira Marley owe him an apology. “Those who wrongly accused Naira Marley owe him an apology, at the very least. May Mohbad continue to rest in peace,” Ahmad concluded.

In further responses to users commenting on his post, the former presidential aide acknowledged that defending Marley had once been difficult due to public sentiment. However, he commended the singer for finally speaking out. “Until recently, coming out to stand or speak up for him was really hard. Good that he found the courage to come out publicly and share his own side of the story. Now it is up to people to choose who or what to believe,” Ahmad noted. “I would have wrongly accused Naira Marley if I hadn’t waited until now to hear his side of the story.”

According to PUNCH Online, Naira Marley’s documentary, published on the official Marlian Music YouTube channel — chronicles Mohbad’s journey with the label, the events surrounding his departure, and the circumstances of his death.