When justice becomes a battleground of emotion, accusation, and misunderstanding, even the most well-intentioned advocates can find themselves at the heart of public fury.
This is the reality Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo now faces—after her name appeared boldly scrawled on a coffin carried through the streets during a protest for late singer Mohbad.
The Coffin That Stirred the Storm
In a scene both shocking and surreal, a group of men paraded a symbolic coffin inscribed with “Iyabo Ojo” during a demonstration tied to the unresolved circumstances of Mohbad’s death. The display, widely circulated online, was interpreted as a condemnation of Ojo’s role in the calls for Mohbad’s exhumation—a move she once championed but now deeply regrets.
Iyabo Breaks Her Silence
In a heartfelt appearance on Biola Bayo’s podcast, Iyabo Ojo laid bare her emotional burden: “If I had known things would turn out this way, I wouldn’t have requested that Mohbad be exhumed… I just wanted an autopsy to find out the cause of his death.”
Ojo was a prominent voice in the campaign to have Mohbad’s body exhumed after suspicious circumstances surrounded his September 2023 death. But what she intended as a step toward justice has since spiraled into legal gridlock, viral videos, and deep public divisions.
“I Regret Everything” — A Mother’s Anguish
Iyabo confessed that what hit her the hardest was a video showing Mohbad’s corpse with a broken neck, allegedly captured post-exhumation: “As a mother, I had to vent… the video of his neck being broken… I regret ever pushing for him to be exhumed.”
Her regrets are compounded by the autopsy results, which proved inconclusive due to body decomposition. A toxicology test revealed only the presence of diphenhydramine—not in fatal levels.
A Case Still Wrapped in Conflict
While fans continue to demand justice, Mohbad’s father has insisted on a DNA test before any reburial, further delaying closure. Legal hurdles and family disputes have turned the case into a web of distrust—pulling in figures like Ojo, who initially acted from a place of advocacy.
Public Divided: Saint or Spotlight Seeker?
Reactions to Ojo’s emotional revelations have been polarizing:
Supporters say: “Don’t regret @iyaboojofespris… You acted like a true mother. God sees your heart.”
Critics accuse: “They were recording themselves shopping for a casket like it was a birthday gift. That’s not justice—that’s clout chasing.”
Even more dangerously, some have accused her of direct involvement in Mohbad’s death—an allegation she strongly rebuts: “If I killed him, why was I fighting for him to be exhumed?”
Symbolism or Slander?
The coffin parade appears to be symbolic—anger expressed through visual drama. But it also crosses into dangerous territory, where activism blurs with defamation, and grief gives way to scapegoating.
Ojo, who once stood as a beacon in the “Justice for Mohbad” movement, now finds herself buried—figuratively—in accusations, regret, and public suspicion.
Final Word: The Price of Advocacy
Iyabo Ojo’s journey in this tragedy highlights the delicate line between influence and interference. Her insistence on an autopsy was driven by empathy and concern. But the outcome—marred by bureaucracy, media chaos, and public vitriol—has left her questioning everything.
In a nation still mourning Mohbad, her story is a reminder: that even heroes in the fight for justice can become victims of the court of public opinion.
