Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, is back in the trenches – this time, in a head-to-head showdown with the Ogun State government.
The drama unfolded when officials from the Ogun State Planning and Development Permit Authority (OGPDPA) stormed Portable’s Odogwu Bar and Restaurant in Iyana-Ilogbo. They went to shut down the establishment over alleged lack of proper permits and insufficient airspace. But Portable flipped the script and accused the officials of overreach.
According to the singer, the government task force came in hot, arresting over 20 people, including artistes and customers, while seizing vehicles, gadgets, and personal belongings. But the authorities fired back. Olatunji Odunlami, the commissioner for physical planning, dismissed Portable’s claims as “spurious and blatant falsehood,” insisting that the enforcement was by the book.
The scuffle didn’t end with just words. Nine people were arrested and hit with a five-count charge, ranging from armed violence to felony, obstruction, assault, and even intent to kill. The bail is N5 million each, with sureties that must be licensed bond agents registered with the state government. The case is set to continue on March 17.
Ogun State isn’t letting this slide. In a statement on Saturday, Kayode Akinmade, special adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun, dragged Portable, branding him a “serial dissident” and an “unrepentant rascal” with a history of attacking government officials. The government called his actions a “disgrace to the state” and made it clear that the law will take its full course.
“We are profoundly taken aback by the unpleasant and uncivil act of the hip-hop artiste, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable,” the statement read. “The way he and his gang attacked OGPDPA officials is not only bizarre but also a confirmation of the erosion of Omoluabi ethos. Governor Dapo Abiodun totally condemns this primitive and indecent act.”
Portable, never one to shy away from controversy, now finds himself once again in the crosshairs of authority. But if history is anything to go by, the street-hop sensation isn’t one to bow to pressure. As the case heads to court, all eyes are on the unfolding drama between the self-proclaimed ‘wahala musician’ and the Ogun State government.
