PUNCH
The late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad, was well known for his talent, and the future seemed to have so much in stock for him. That explains why his friends, family and fans have been left devastated since the news of his death broke on Tuesday, September 12, 2023. He was 27 years old.
When Saturday Beats paid a visit to the singer’s burial site and family home in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, it was evident that both areas had been thrown into a deep state of mourning. Gberigbe, where the late singer was interred, was a bumpy one-hour ride from the Ikorodu garage. Some parts of the roads were waterlogged, and dotted with gaping portholes.
Our correspondent gathered that the land on which the singer was buried was one of his properties.
A man our correspondent encountered at the burial site insisted that he must be given some money before he would divulge any information about the late singer. He said, “He (Mohbad) is from Oke Eletu (also in Ikorodu). He bought this place. If you want to know his family, give me money. They are here now, that is his father standing over there (pointing to a man a few metres away). There are also some of his people around here.”
When our correspondent approached Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, who was looking visibly shaken, he simply said, “I am busy.”
He was supervising some cleaning work done on the site.
A woman dressed in an ash-coloured gown also refused to speak to Saturday Beats. She said, “We are not saying anything to anybody regarding Mohbad. Everything is already out there, and everybody knows what is going on. It is so saddening.”
Meanwhile, an artiste living in the area, simply identified as Elijah, aka Sweetsounds, stated that he had produced a farewell song to honour the late Mohbad.
Upon leaving the burial site, our correspondent embarked on another 30-minute ride back to the late singer’s family house in Oke Eletu.
Even without being told, the sober mood and sad faces worn by the residents in the area indicated that they were in a mourning state.
The Aloba’s home, a yellow bungalow tucked behind some other buildings, could easily be missed, but the presence of some women looking sad, gave the place away. Though physically present, most of the mourners were absent-minded and practically oblivious of what was happening around them. When our correspondent tried to interact with them, they remained silent.
However, some neighbours who spoke on the condition of anonymity noted that the late singer cared for his family, and would be missed.
One of them, a woman, said, “We will miss a lot about him. He was a good and calm boy, who cared for his home. Since his death, the whole area has not been okay. People from Gberigbe and Ijede came here in their numbers for his burial yesterday (Wednesday). His death was so painful, and we are terribly hurt.”
Another neighbour added, “He worked very hard while…
