In a significant escalation of the ongoing family dispute surrounding the late Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, better known as Mohbad, his family has issued a formal directive through their lawyer instructing his widow, Omowunmi Adebanjo (also known as Wunmi Aloba), to immediately stop using the Aloba surname until the results of a court-ordered DNA test confirm the paternity of their son, Liam.
The statement, released on Wednesday, November 13, 2025, and signed by family head Omolayo Aloba and Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, asserts that no valid customary marriage existed between Mohbad and Omowunmi because the required Yoruba bride price was never fully paid, thereby invalidating her claim to the family name under traditional law.
The family emphasized that this measure is not intended to vilify Omowunmi but to ensure legal clarity, adding that if the DNA test proves Liam is Mohbad’s biological child, both mother and son will be fully recognized and integrated into the estate administration process, with a reserved position for Omowunmi among the administrators.
The Aloba family has also renewed its demand for a transparent, independent, and comprehensive investigation into Mohbad’s death on September 12, 2023, which continues to haunt Nigeria’s music industry and public consciousness.
The 27-year-old Afrobeat star, who rose to fame with hits like “Kpk (No Competition)” and “Peace,” died under controversial circumstances after complaining of an ear infection and receiving an injection from a nurse, with no autopsy conducted before his body was buried the next day in Ikorodu, Lagos.
Initial police investigations implicated associates from his former label, Marlian Music, including owner Naira Marley and Primeboy, but a coroner’s inquest in May 2024 found traces of drugs in his system without establishing a definitive cause of death.
The family, expressing frustration over stalled progress, has restructured its legal representation: Oladayo Ogungbe of Ogungbe & Ogungbe Attorneys now handles all DNA and estate-related matters, while Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Dr. Wahab Shittu focuses exclusively on pushing for justice in the death inquiry.
To protect Mohbad’s legacy and prevent mismanagement of his assets, the family has appointed three interim administrators: Ajewole Aloba, a relative; Rasaq Famuyiwa, Mohbad’s longtime manager; and Alonge Aloba, another family member. These individuals are tasked with securing probate letters to oversee the late singer’s royalties, bank accounts, properties, and musical intellectual property, particularly amid unresolved disputes with Marlian Records over unpaid earnings following Mohbad’s acrimonious exit in October 2022.
The family clarified that these steps are necessary to maintain fairness and transparency during the legal limbo, especially as the paternity of Liam—born in May 2023—remains central to inheritance rights.
The DNA dispute, which has dominated headlines for over two years, traces back to public skepticism shortly after Mohbad’s death, with Omowunmi initially agreeing to testing in November 2023 but facing repeated delays due to disagreements over methodology, venue, and family cooperation.
Tensions escalated in early 2025 when Omowunmi accused Joseph Aloba of using the test to fuel media speculation rather than seek truth, while he maintained it was essential for estate distribution.
A major breakthrough came on September 2, 2025, when an Ikorodu Magistrate’s Court ordered DNA testing using samples from Mohbad’s exhumed remains, with the case adjourned to November 11, 2025—mere days before the family’s latest statement. Omowunmi’s lawyer, Kabir Akingbolu, responded swiftly, calling the surname ban “illegal and sentimental” and citing Supreme Court precedent that no one holds monopoly over a surname.
He accused the Alobas of sabotaging the process despite four unanswered letters and multiple legal flip-flops, insisting that his client remains ready for testing “any time, any day.”
The family has also announced that Mohbad’s reburial and memorial service, originally rushed amid fears of evidence tampering, will be postponed until all legal and internal matters are resolved, with a new date to be communicated later.
As Nigeria awaits the DNA results and potential closure in one of its most high-profile celebrity death cases, the saga underscores deeper issues within the music industry exploitation, lack of artist protections, and the emotional toll of unresolved grief.
The Aloba family concluded their statement with a call for peace and lawful pursuit of justice, while public interest remains intense, with #JusticeForMohbad still resonating as a symbol of accountability in Nigerian entertainment.