Mohbad: Family Appeals for Support to Conduct DNA Test on Son Liam Before Burial

The family of late Nigerian Afrobeats singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, has issued a public appeal for assistance to conduct a DNA test on the singer’s son, Liam, before final burial rites are held.

In a video statement, Joseph Aloba, father of the late artist, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Lagos State Government, and the general public to help facilitate the paternity test, which he described as a condition for burial.

“I’m pleading with the entire world, not just the Lagos State Government, for help. I need to conduct a DNA test so I can finally lay my son to rest. If I bury him now, how will I do the DNA test? Who will I test?” Aloba said.

Mohbad died in September 2023 at the age of 27. His remains have yet to be buried due to an ongoing legal dispute between the Aloba family and the singer’s widow, Wunmi, over the paternity of their son, Liam.

A Lagos State Magistrate Court sitting in Ikorodu had earlier ordered a DNA test to establish paternity. The court approved three laboratories: DNA Diagnostics Centre in Ohio, United States; Alpha Biolabs in Warrington, United Kingdom; and Advanced Histopathology Laboratory Limited in London.

However, according to the family’s legal representative, Oladayo Ogungbe, inquiries revealed that two of the approved laboratories do not conduct post-mortem DNA testing involving tissue extraction from embalmed remains. An affidavit of facts has been filed to notify the court of the development.

Aloba also expressed concerns over transparency in the process, citing a previous toxicology report that was declared inconclusive. He rejected the court’s plan to appoint a “secret” independent laboratory unknown to all parties and requested the right to engage a private pathologist to run a parallel test.

The family stated that efforts to conclude the matter have been repeatedly delayed and called for urgent intervention to ensure a credible and transparent DNA process.