Over the course of last weekend and on the occasion of the 63rd Nigeria’s independence celebration, I had the cause to rub minds with some of the brightest talents in the literary circle and creative space in the largest African nation cum emerging world leader in the entertainment industry.
Without prejudice to the ongoing formal investigation into the demise of Mohbad, this article, however, seeks to serve as a public commentary on the demise of Mohbad, the bullying culture in the entertainment industry and failed policing in Nigeria. The article proceeds to make recommendations on how best to tackle the bullying culture and drastically reduce incidences of bad policing in Nigeria.
Incidents that happened in the weeks or few months before his death – including circumstances narrated in his petition to the Nigeria Police Force in June 2023 as well as videos circulated online of Mohbad being assaulted by Sam Larry and goons while on a video shoot with Zlatan Ibile as well as another video circulated online of him trying to get himself and regain his composure after another assault on him by his assailants; and Songs released by Mohbad at the relevant time to speak about the...
To the average Nigerian, Mohbad was failed by people who ought to have protected him . One may, therefore, not be wrong to assert that we failed Mohbad both as a society and people.
As for Sam Larry’s feeble attempt to wish the accusations made against him away by saying in his defence, that Mohbad owed him a certain amount of money for a performance Mohbad was meant to have done in Dubai, UAE, one wonders why he resorted to crude and brutal means in a civilised society.
re-orientation for security agencies, independent citizens watch and increased accountability measures for our uniformed men and women with punitive measures for those who fail to protect citizens when called upon to do so and found wanton in their statutory duties.