The Ikorodu High Court has directed three independent tissue-based DNA tests to be conducted abroad to conclusively determine the paternity of Liam, the young son of the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
The ruling, delivered during proceedings on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, addresses prolonged complications in earlier attempts to resolve the paternity dispute between Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, and the singer’s widow, Omowunmi Aloba.
Mohbad’s father, Mr Joseph Aloba, and his counsel, Barrister Oladayo Ogungbe, were present in court. Barrister Ogungbe explained that previous arrangements for a supervised DNA test had faltered when the assigned welfare officer proposed a local facility incapable of performing tissue-based analysis. “Even the other end clearly suggested that the facility cannot do a tissue-based test. We were considering a third party, and all of this was reported to the court,” he said.
In response, the court approved a more robust framework to safeguard the process’s integrity. Each party—Mohbad’s father and the widow’s side—will nominate one foreign facility capable of conducting tissue-based testing, while the court will select a third independent facility. All three tests must yield consistent results for the outcome to be accepted. “The three results must show the same outcome. This is exactly what we have been pushing for from day one. It shows that we have nothing to hide,” Barrister Ogungbe stated.
The lawyer further clarified that Mohbad’s father would not cover the full cost of the tests, and both sides would be present during sample collection to maintain transparency. “Everybody is going to be present where the sample will be taken. The process must be transparent,” he added.
Mr Joseph Aloba expressed satisfaction with the arrangement. “I don’t have anything to say. I am pleased that we will have three places. It is okay by me,” he said.
The case has been adjourned to February 10, 2026, for further updates on the submission of proposed facilities and implementation.
Read Also: Nigeria’s Ex-Communications Minister Pantami Revalidates APC Membership
Mohbad, real name Ilerioluwa Aloba, died suddenly on September 12, 2023, at the age of 27, sparking widespread public outrage, protests, and demands for accountability in the Nigerian music industry. His body was exhumed on September 21, 2023, as part of ongoing investigations into the circumstances of his death, which remain unresolved in separate proceedings.
The paternity question emerged shortly after his passing and has intersected with broader family disputes over inheritance, burial arrangements, and the late singer’s legacy. Mohbad’s father has consistently maintained that a verified DNA result is necessary to settle doubts about Liam’s biological relationship to the singer and to clear the path for final burial rites, which he has linked to the resolution of this issue.
Mohbad’s widow, Wunmi, has publicly affirmed that Liam is the biological child of her late husband and has described the repeated calls for testing as unnecessary delays that hinder justice for Mohbad and the child’s welfare. In widely reported earlier statements, she stressed her priority on securing accountability for her husband’s death while protecting their son’s interests.
The dispute has played out amid intense social media scrutiny, with fans, supporters, and commentators weighing in on issues ranging from family privacy to cultural expectations around lineage and inheritance in Yoruba tradition, where paternity verification can carry significant implications for succession and burial practices.
Previous court orders in 2025, including a September ruling by a magistrate in Ikorodu directing two DNA tests—one local and one abroad—had not progressed smoothly, leading to further applications and adjournments. A December 2025 decision struck out an application by Mr Aloba’s counsel seeking specific foreign facilities, emphasising judicial neutrality in selecting testing centres.
The current order for three independent international tests represents an escalation in safeguards, reflecting judicial concern over potential inconsistencies or challenges to the results’ credibility. Tissue-based testing, typically involving samples like hair or other non-blood sources from the deceased where direct comparison is needed, is seen as more reliable in contested cases involving exhumation or historical samples.
Mohbad rose to prominence in the Nigerian street-hop and Afrobeats scene with hits that blended raw lyricism and social commentary, amassing a dedicated following before his death. The ongoing legal battles have kept his name in the headlines long after his passing, highlighting tensions between personal family matters and public interest in celebrity legacies.