By Friday Olokor
The Oodua People’s Congress on Tuesday asked the nation’s security agencies to ensure justice for the late Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
This is as the Yoruba socio-political organisation said if Mohbad had opened up about his travails, the organisation would have kept safe from his attackers.
The OPC also urged the police, and the DSS to bring to justice all the individuals and groups that may have contributed to the oppression, harassment, and beating of the deceased.
The President of OPC, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, in a condolence message to Mohbad’s immediate family, management team and worldwide fans, signed by its General Secretary, Bunmi Fasehun, described the death as an unquantifiable yet avoidable tragedy.
He said, “OPC sees the death of this promising, hardworking, and talented young musician as a personal loss because he was a true Yoruba Ambassador, whose songs and craftsmanship promoted the Yoruba language and people.
“However, we believe he, his parents, and management ought to have involved the OPC when the disagreement between Mohbad and other associates escalated to the point of intimidation, assault, and haunting.
“OPC has successfully mediated in such cases in the past and we have brought peace and harmony to such feuding parties to the satisfaction of all and sundry.
“Sometimes we act alone and sometimes in collaboration with the Police Force, Civil Defence and DSS. But at the end of the day, we protect the weak against the strong oppressor.
“Where necessary, we can take the case directly to the government. But in most cases, the mere mention of OPC being involved will bring sanity to all concerned, no matter who that person or organisation considers himself to be.
“And I dare say that Mohbad would have lived a better quality of life, and would most likely be alive today if he and his people had brought his troubles to OPC.
“Meanwhile, we want to use this medium to urge the police, DSS and government to bring to justice all the individuals and groups who contributed to the oppression, harassment and beating of this young man. It doesn’t matter whether such tormentors contributed directly or indirectly to his death. There is enough video evidence and living witnesses to give Mohbad justice in the law courts, even if the charges will be for assault, battery, conduct capable of causing a breach of the peace, and attempted murder.
“In addition, all the police officers and formations that refused to act in his complaints should all be brought to book for official sanctioning.”
According to Afolabi, OPC, as a socio-cultural organisation stood for peace and justice as well as the security of the community and the nation at large.
He recalled that since its formation by the late founder, Dr. Frederick Fasehun in 1994, the organisation had been involved in providing safety for petroleum pipelines in the South-West.
According to him, at the height of its struggle against military rule, OPC boasted no less than six million members.
