I feel for the family of the late talented musician, Mohbad, especially for his little son, whom he left behind with the young mother.
However, what I do not understand is how Nigerians are suddenly sounding surprised that the Marlian Record Group is a drug-induced brand with a tint of gangsterism.
I mean, from his lyrics to his demeanor, Naira Marley represents a decadent generation of opportunists who unfortunately get celebrated by the society for leading wrong lifestyles in the name of sounding woke.
This would be like sounding surprised that Tupac Shakur died from gang related shootings when most of his songs, his lyrics, connections and lifestyles depicted gangsterism and street violence. Although, some quarters suggest his death may have been orchestrated by the FBI, it is easily more believable that it was gang related because himself, while alive, depicted every bit of gangsterism in acts and mannerism.
Soapy, a nonchalant song with stupid lyrics was celebrated amongst many and even people I would consider sane in Nigeria, in a move to sound wokely compliant to trends, howbeit negative, once openly called themselves “Marlians”, a following defined after Naira Marley’s personae of societal decadence and nonchalance.
And afterwards, our country’s purportedly renowned government institution poised with the primary responsibility to combat hard drugs, the NDLEA recently endorsed him as its ambassador. The system enabled it, notched a crown over insolence, bad habits and substance abuse.
I would be surprised if you told me that Don Jazzy was witch-hunting artistes on his label but not when it is Naira Marley doing it. There is no surprise whatsoever to me about this story.
I also would find the late artistes Mohbad complicit in his own death, if the final investigations confirm his death to be linked to his drug and gangster related lifestyle. Truth be told, as reflected in most of his videos, he too led a very unguarded lifestyle.
Maybe, he was trying to flee from it but he already got so entangled in it that fleeing only meant moving within the same web mazed all through by the subjects of the sinister drug ring of the Marlian empire. There was clearly a no escape route within that web of uncouth characters, even in the midst of fame, wealth and connections. It is a doomed circus of talented retards.
The point is that, no matter how viral a bad idea stems within the society, depicting acceptability, we should discourage discordant lifestyles amongst young people at all stages and not only when they become victims of their own poisons.
