The Nigerian music industry appears to be distancing itself from Naira Marley gradually. In a recent move that is causing ripples in the industry, two major music channels, Soundcity and MTV Base, have taken a bold step by removing Naira Marley’s songs from their playlists.
This decision comes in the aftermath of allegations connecting the artist to the tragic passing of Mohbad.
For those who have been following the tumultuous relationship between Naira Marley and Mohbad, this news may not come as a complete surprise. Mohbad, who was once part of Naira Marley’s Marlian Records label, parted ways with the record label in 2022. Since then, tensions between the two artists have escalated, resulting in public disputes.
One of the most memorable incidents occurred in October 2022 when Mohbad shared a live video depicting a distressing moment where he was seen crying and fleeing from a building in Chevron, Lekki. With Mohbad’s tragic passing, attention has naturally turned towards Naira Marley.
Soundcity and MTV Base’s decision to exclude Naira Marley’s songs from their playlists is a show of solidarity amid the ongoing controversies. Although they have not explicitly stated the reasons for this decision, it’s evident that the cloud of controversy surrounding the artist played a role in their choice.
It’s worth noting that Splash FM, another prominent player in the music scene, also joined the ranks in discontinuing the play of Naira Marley’s songs. They have taken a firm stance and are encouraging other stations to follow suit. This collective action sends a powerful message that the music industry is not willing to overlook controversies or alleged connections to tragic events.
Over the past week, Naira Marley has also seen a noticeable decline in his social media followers. His follower count, which stood at 7.5 million at the time of Mohbad’s passing, has since dropped to 6.9 million.
