Dare Babalola
A Lagos State Magistrate Court sitting in Ikorodu has ordered the conduct of two Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) tests to determine the paternity of Liam Aloba, the only child of the late Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, alias Mohbad.
The court, presided over by Magistrate Adefisoye Sonuga, on Tuesday, issued the order while ruling on an application filed by Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba.
Joseph Aloba had approached the court seeking to conclusively establish whether Liam is his late son’s biological offspring. The applicant’s counsel, Augustine Adegbemi of Dr. Wahab Shittu (SAN) & Co., argued that the test was necessary to resolve lingering doubts and public speculation surrounding the child’s paternity.
“There remains uncertainty regarding the paternity of Master Liam Aloba. Given the sensitivity of the matter, it is imperative that this issue be conclusively settled to determine maintenance obligations and ensure the child’s welfare,” Adegbemi said.
Magistrate Sonuga granted the order as prayed, directing that two DNA tests be conducted – one within Nigeria and another in a recognized and accredited hospital outside Nigeria. The court also directed that both parties or their representatives shall be present when the samples are taken.
The tests are to be carried out in government-approved medical facilities, and tissue or hair samples may be taken from the remains of the late singer, currently preserved at the Military Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.
The court’s decision is a significant development in the ongoing saga surrounding Mohbad’s estate and paternity claims. The late singer’s only child, Liam, was born in April 2023, just months before Mohbad’s untimely death.
