President of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Pretty Okafor, has stated that the late musician, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba (popularly known as Mohbad) was not a member of the body.
He clarified that if he were a member, the controversy around his royalties with former record label, Marlian Records, would have been amicably resolved.
Okafor made the clarification when he appeared before a House of Representatives panel probing Mohbad’s death, particularly the allegations of harassment and unpaid royalties.
The PMAN boss regretted that the new crop of musicians had failed to see the need to join the association, which he said, has numerous benefits for them, including resolving contractual issues between artists and record labels.
He encouraged performers to be active members of the trade union.
Mohbad’s lawyer said before his client died, he had some arrangements with Marlian Records, which are still subject of dispute today.
His words: “Mohbad and Marlian Records had some arrangements, which I cannot term as a record label agreement yet, and this is subject to litigation currently. While he worked with them in some sense, he released an Extended Play (EP) and a number of singles.”
Now, those songs are subject to litigation, which he was in court for, prior to his demise.
“Subsequently, sometime in October last year, he set up his own label, Imolenization Limited, and he released an EP, which he received the revenue for directly to himself, because he was the sole owner of the company. So on the EP, which is called Blessed, it is fully secure.”
Chairman of the committee, Olumide Osoba, assured that issues pertaining to the late musician’s royalties and entitlements would be resolved.