ANALYSIS: Cancel first, investigate later? Lessons from Naira Marley’s example
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Mohbad’s death in September 2023 is one incident Nigerians won’t forget in a hurry. It began with a post by Instablog9ja announcing that the promising singer and former Marlian Records signee had died from an ear infection. At first, it didn’t quite sink in. His sound from the lyrics to the cadence carried shades of his former label boss, Naira Marley, and this was why many who weren’t familiar with Mohbad, including me, rushed to YouTube. There, they realised they already knew his songs, even if not his name. That’s when the sentimental attachment began.
Thenarrativeshiftedquicklywhenvideosandvoicenotessurfaced,hintingthathehadsufferedbullyingandoppressionatthehandsofhisex-labelhead,NairaMarley,andhisassociateSamLarry.Inthatinstant,socialmediabecameacourtroom.Themobdeclareditsverdict:NairaMarleywasguilty,andjustlikethat,theMarliankingwithacult-likefollowinglosthisgoodwill.RadiostationslikeAgidigboFMinIbadanbannedhissongs.Fansunfollowedhimindroves,andthedigitalmanhuntforNairaMarleybegan.Hisna
