Mr. Joseph Aloba, the father of the late Nigerian rapper Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, widely known as Mohbad, has shared the challenging journey of ensuring his late son received an education, which led him to take financial loans from three different sources.
Tribune Online reported that Mohbad tragically passed away on September 12, 2023, at the tender age of 27, a loss that has stirred strong reactions and demands for justice surrounding the circumstances of his death. In an interview with BBC Pidgin, Mr. Aloba discussed Mohbad’s passing and their relationship when he was alive, shedding light on the difficulties of funding his education.
Mr. Aloba explained that financing Mohbad’s higher education was far from straightforward. He resorted to borrowing money from three different sources because his earnings as a carpenter were insufficient to cover the costs of his son’s education. He took these loans after Mohbad expressed his desire to pursue further education.
In addition, Mr. Aloba disclosed that he even sold one of the machines he used for his carpentry work to support Mohbad’s education and ensure he completed his schooling.
In his words: “I even collected loans from three different places for him to attend school because, being a carpenter, I didn’t have the capital. So when he said, ‘Daddy, I want to go to school,’ I had to seek help from my friends. One of my friends’ wives stood by me and offered to assist me in obtaining the loans. I collected three loans and gave them to him, urging him to go to school while I bore the burden of repaying those loans. During the period he wanted to complete his two years, I had to sell the grinding machine I used for my carpentry job.”
Mr. Aloba’s story exemplifies the sacrifices parents make to ensure their children receive an education, even in the face of financial challenges.
