The dispute between Omowunmi Aloba, widow of late Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as MohBad, and her father-in-law, Joseph Aloba, has intensified, with Omowunmi now alleging that the push for a Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) test is driven less by genuine paternity concerns and more by an interest in controlling the late singer’s royalties and estate.
In a recent interview, Omowunmi said she and Joseph were once close but the relationship deteriorated following the birth of her son, Liam, with disagreements over the child’s naming ceremony and the question of MohBad reconciling with his mother serving as early fault lines. She claimed that conversations with her father-in-law after MohBad’s death in September 2023 gravitated almost entirely toward the singer’s properties and royalties, and alleged that Joseph wants the DNA result to come out negative in order to gain control of those assets. She maintained she has never opposed a DNA test.
Joseph Aloba’s legal team has consistently offered a different account. Joseph has publicly insisted that a DNA test is necessary, stating he cannot hold on to a child who may not belong to his family. His representatives have also disputed claims that the family has delayed or avoided the process.
The matter has been before a Magistrates Court in Ikorodu, Lagos State, since 2024. The court directed both parties in July 2024 to explore Alternative Dispute Resolution, but closed-door negotiations failed to produce an agreement. A subsequent court order directed that the test be conducted at a mutually agreed facility within Nigeria, but the two sides have been unable to agree on a venue. Omowunmi’s legal team proposed Eko Hospital and Reddington Hospital as alternatives after both parties rejected each other’s initial choices, but said Joseph failed to respond to that suggestion.
Joseph’s legal representatives denied that his counsel misrepresented Omowunmi’s position on the DNA test in media appearances.
MohBad died on September 12, 2023. His body was exhumed days later for an autopsy following widespread public outcry over the circumstances of his death. The paternity and estate dispute has remained unresolved since, with Omowunmi indicating the legal battle could stretch on for years.
