Controversial street-pop artist, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has levelled serious allegations against his father, accusing him of neglect, manipulation, and financially exploiting his success, while also warning him against what he described as spiritual intimidation.
The outburst follows renewed family disputes that recently escalated into a physical altercation between the singer and one of his children’s mothers, an incident that went viral on social media.
During an Instagram Live session on Tuesday, the Zeh Nation founder lamented that his father consistently distances himself whenever he faces challenges involving the police or marital disputes, yet maintains contact with his partners for selfish gains.
Portable alleged that instead of mediating conflicts, his father prefers to reach out to his baby mamas for money, a situation he claimed had repeatedly destabilised his relationships.
“Even my dad is only concerned with getting money from me. There is no time in the police station that you will ever come to my aid as your son. But you can collect the phone numbers of your son’s baby mamas and collect money from them.
“Are you not supposed to have a phone number and relations with just one wife, you know, with me? It’s only Bewaji, my only wife, that you’re supposed to know, but you chase after all of them for money. You will be sniffing around my family. You are with me, yet my life is scattered.
“My fans, why? When you are not with me, my life goes on. If people invade my house and I ask my father to report to the police station, he won’t answer; he will run and hide from my problems. I am facing a lot of fans, but you will not believe me.
The ‘Zazoo Zehh’ singer further accused his father of mismanaging funds meant for his building project, alleging that he inflated prices of building materials and took advantage of his trust.
“My life is good without you. I am a hero. You did not take care of me. You did not send me to school. You are just like Baba Mohbad; you have collected all my shoes and clothes. But when there is war, you will be absent.
“When I wanted to build a house, I told him to handle it. He was always cheating me. You quoted 300 blocks as 900 blocks for me. I want to roof a building for N1.4 million, but you called it N2.7 million. You stand on my toes because of my properties.
“When my mother died, my father said he was not concerned. Am I your only child? Leave me to live my life. My father was cheating me on the purchase of bricks. You were in Abuja doing your thing. Then you came into my life when I became famous.
Portable insisted that his father would not lay claim to his wealth or possessions, stressing that he would protect his assets and children from alleged exploitation.
“You can never inherit me. I will not allow you to do to me what they did to Mohbad. My father is ready to take my properties, including my cars and my clothes. I swear to God who made me, no one can inherit me, and I will live long before I die to take care of my kids and my properties.
“You can not kill me. Spirituality is genuine, and I will be spiritual with anybody. Assuming my mum were alive, I wouldn’t be suffering this much because she would fight for me. My father scammed my mum before her death; he is still scamming me as well.
“My father sent me away from Abuja, and I came to learn tailoring in Lagos. My father blocked my aunt, who raised me when my mum died, saying she used me for rituals. My dad chased my aunt, who used to stay with me,” the singer said.
Despite his grievances, Portable praised his aunt, Alhaja, whom he credited for supporting him since childhood and standing by him during difficult moments.
“My aunt, Alhaja, used to stand for me when I got arrested at the police station. My dad has blocked her, the woman who raised me as a kid, so he can scam me. Alhaja, where are you? My father has scattered everything. My father has collected my money and cars, even though I haven’t bought anything for Alhaja yet.
“If not for Alhaja, who fortified me, I wouldn’t be here today. But my father caused Alhaja to say that she is using me for ritual, Alhaja is rich, and I am rich with everything she raised me with.
“Whereas, I am not supposed even to take care of my father because he was not available when I was born, he went on hajj, it was my mum who sorted out my naming ceremony. Yet, my father won’t take care of my family and siblings from the money he got from me,” he added.
‘Don’t be like baba Mohbad’ — Portable alleges father exploited him for money
