Kunle Adelabu
It has been controversies, tributes and lamentations galore over the popularity of the music act, Oladimeji Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known by stage name, ‘Mohbad’, since his sudden death was announced late Tuesday.
Since his burial in Ikorodu on Wednesday, amidst protest by youths who was against where his family arranged to be his final resting place, the songwriter has continued to trend on the social media with fans and other concerned netizens sharing their thoughts about his demise.
Few days after his death, more people are now following his handles, playing and listening to his songs, while some of his songs, ‘Peace’, ‘Ask About Me’ and ‘Feel Good’, are now doing fine on the billboards.
He has earned over 400,000+ streams on Spotify in the last 48 hours, which happens to be his biggest streaming day ever.
Mohbad’s song, “Peace” currently holds the top spot on the Apple Music Top 100 ranking.
Another song by the last artiste, “Ask About Me,” also displaced Burna Boy’s “City Boys” at number three, while “Feel Good” also reached the fourth spot on the streaming service.
Meanwhile, Innocent Tino, a content creator and blogger, has called on late Mohbad’s family to take charge of royalties accrued from his songs which are now trending on the social media.
He charged his family to look into who is managing his account and ensure that the money being made after his death, is secured.
“Mohbad music is now topping Apple Music and his songs on YouTube are getting massive play …he wasn’t in any record label, so please; his family should find out who controls his bank account that is connected to these payment platforms. The boy is making huge money at d£ath. So that someone else won’t take it, because the parents ain’t too educated on these things”, Tino called the family’s attention on his handle.
His post has, however, generated comments with netizens agreeing that his investment must be protected for the use of his child, but there are concerns about who, between his family and spouse, to take charge in this regard.
Ben Stephen, commenting on the post, enjoined leaders in the music industry to intervene and ensure that incomes on late Mohbad’s creative works, do not get into the wrong hands.
“I hope kind hearted and very strong personalities in the music industry, like Davido, Don Jazzy and Olamide, can help us monitor and and ensure he gets his dues on humanitarian grounds”.
Tim Collins, supporting the idea of intervention by respectable leaders in the industry, added that they should do it for the sake of his only son.
“He left a baby boy behind, if not anything, they should help because of the baby…”, Collins said.
While intervening on the divide among the netizens rooting for the family and the others opting for his wife/baby mama, to take over his the control over his music earnings, Emeka Shotit said:
“He has a son, let the money be kept for his son’s upbringing. This is his legacy for his Son…”
Another netizen, Kingsley Udorji, simply submitted:
“May we not make money, make news & get popular in death than when we are alive”.
Netizen Mkpoikanke Udoaka, also commenting, equally confirmed that she is listening more to Mohbad’s songs.
“Na now him song come sweet”.
In his own comment, Emma Bensyn advised the family on how to further immortalize Mohbad whom he described as a legend.
“I think that the family should make an AI of MOHBAD. This brother man is a legendary (figure), and his potential and legacy should ever live on”, he said.
Innocent Tino, another netizen, also contributing, support the idea of immortalizing the young late music act.
“That has been on my mind earlier today, coz after the AI is set, it’s just to put one or two things in place”.
Henrietta Bessam described Mohbad’s soaring popularity and revenues after his death, as sad.
“He is indeed trending in death…just last night, a lot of neighbors who didn’t really know him until his death was announced, rush to stream his songs to find out who really he was and what kind of songs he sang…the more people hear about his death, the more they stream him, because some people don’t know him…this is really sad…making more money after death”.
On her own, Nkume Chiamatta Gift said that he died too young.
“I didn’t even know him. Not until yesterday. Everyone started posting him. He died too young. Rest on young man”.
Ifeanyi Loftus introduced another perspective to the narration, when he said that the massive following after Mohbad’ death, shows that he is loved before and after his death.
“It’s normal for someone to trend after death. That’s just a sad reality. Juice Wrld blow after death. People wey stream am after death still love am ????”, he said.
“Make people stop see this topping charts as fake love”.
Olowookere Tosinary, also expressed sadness over the popularity of the music act after his untimely death.
“Death, why (crying effigy)! His pictures all over the social media, his songs here and there. God knows it all”.
