In an era when information travels at the speed of a click, the tragic death of Nigerian rapper and singer MohBad serves as a stark reminder of the perilous consequences of fake news.
Born Ilerioluwa Aloba, MohBad, a talented artist who once graced the stage under Naira Marley’s music label, Marlian Records met an untimely demise that sent shockwaves through the music industry. However, what followed was a whirlwind of speculations and unverified claims.
Ever since news broke of MohBad’s passing, a plethora of theories emerged, each proposing a different cause of death. Even after the police exhumed his remains for autopsy, the relentless churn of theories refused to cease.
MohBad’s musical journey, marked by a debut EP titled ‘Light’ in 2020 and a subsequent departure from Naira Marley’s label in 2022 to establish his own, Imolenization, has been overshadowed by disturbing allegations.
Following his departure from Marlian Records World, it was reported that he was bullied by the singer Naira Marley and music promoter Sam Larry. Although he reported the attack by Sam Larry to the police, the latter in their defence claimed that the deceased never attended a subsequent meeting to address the allegations.
These attacks which took place a few months ago resurfaced after his death, fuelling accusatory fingers pointed at his former label owner.
The first theory surrounding his death cited an alleged ear infection. Later, it was claimed that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency had poisoned him during his custody, a charge vehemently refuted by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi on X (formerly Twitter). He shared an online report detailing the arrest and detention of some artists from Naira Marley’s label, emphasizing the distortion of facts by purveyors of fake news.
“This is an authentic account of the arrest and detention of some Marlian artists in Feb 2022, an incident that has now been twisted by purveyors of fake news to say Mohbad was poisoned or detained by the agency. I hope they’ll be bold enough to defend their claims when the hand of the law catches them,” Babafemi tweeted.
As MohBad’s demise continued to dominate social media, speculation ran rampant. From the mundane to the bizarre, claims ranged from questioning his paternity to portraying Naira Marley as the leader of a drug cartel exploiting young artists. Concurrently, fake accounts were created in his name, deceiving fans and concerned citizens, while misinformation clouded the actual amount of donations received by the deceased’s family.
For instance, social commentator Japheth Omojuwa, popularly known as J.J. Omojuwa had to clarify the amount of donations made by President Bola Tinubu’s son. Seyi. It was alleged that Seyi had donated N15 million to MohBad’s family, but in his X’s post, Omojuwa clarified that the former made no such donation.
The dangers of fake news are manifold. It can be categorized into three distinct forms: misinformation, spreading falsehoods without harmful intent; disinformation, deliberately disseminating fake news to manipulate or harm; and malinformation, sharing information with malicious intent or out of context.
MohBad’s case highlights how fake news can lead to unfounded accusations, public outrage, and even distractions from legitimate investigations by the police. A good pointer to this was the case of the young man who had to make a video to clarify that he was not Sam Larry, given the public outrage on the promoter.
MohBad’s untimely death and the subsequent surge of fake news underscores the critical need for media literacy in today’s digital age. Individuals must learn to scrutinize information sources, verify news from multiple credible outlets, and exercise caution before sharing unverified claims. Moreover, the responsibility does not rest solely with the media; social media users play a pivotal role in curbing the spread of misinformation. Promoting responsible social media practices, promptly reporting fake accounts, and encouraging fact-checking can collectively mitigate the detrimental effects of false information.
As Nigerians and the late singer’s fans await the release of the autopsy results, the role of social media in facilitating the spread of falsehoods becomes apparent. Ethical reporting, and public awareness campaigns about the dangers of fake news, should be encouraged.
THISDAY
