Who Will Tell Portable That Controversy Is Not A PR Strategy? -By Isaac Asabor

In an era where artists are constantly seeking relevance in Nigeria’s crowded entertainment space, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has chosen a path few dare to tread, a road littered with tantrums, public fallouts, arrests, and just recently, legal action instituted against him by Fuji Star, Okunola Saheed, fondly called Osupa, and which he has terminated in his favor.  But one thing is clear: Portable is confusing chaos for branding and mistaking controversy for PR.

His public spat with Osupa, once again thrust him into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. It will be recalled in this context that Portable had taken to social media, accusing Osupa of sabotaging his career and blocking his shine in the music industry. What followed was swift: a lawsuit, his arrest in Kwara State, and court proceedings. Luckily for him, the case against him has been withdrawn by Osupa.

One would think such an episode would be humbling, a reset button. But if Portable’s history is anything to go by, this is just another spark in his self-sabotaging pattern.

“Controversy may sell headlines, but it doesn’t build legacy,” says Ayoola Ogundele, a Lagos-based talent manager who has worked with multiple mainstream acts. “Portable’s handlers, if they exist, are either incompetent or complicit. He’s not building a brand; he’s building a bonfire.”

Let’s be clear, Portable’s rise was meteoric. His hit single Zazoo Zeh, featuring Olamide and Pocolee, turned him into a street sensation overnight. But since then, what has he built? He has burned bridges with show promoters, been arrested multiple times, engaged in public feuds with colleagues, insulted senior figures in the industry, and now, picked a fight with a revered Fuji icon. And for what? To trend?

“PR is about strategy, not stunts,” says Cyril Ugbo, a communications expert.  “It’s about shaping perception, building trust, and creating long-term value. What Portable is doing is anti-PR. He’s dismantling his brand under the guise of staying relevant.”

Sadly, in Nigeria’s entertainment culture, many mistake virality for value. But there’s a clear difference between blowing up and building up. One is sudden and short-lived. The other is intentional and sustainable. Portable is the former, a lit matchstick, not a lighthouse.

His actions also paint a larger picture about the industry itself, one where handlers and enablers fuel their talents’ worst instincts for short-term gain. If you’re a manager, and your artiste is constantly in the news for negative behavior, you’re not managing, you’re babysitting a ticking bomb.

“Someone has to sit Portable down and tell him the truth, even if it costs them access,” says Segun Durojaiye, an A&R executive at a major Nigerian label. “Because right now, he’s damaging not just his image, but also the business potential tied to his name.”

And let’s not forget the business side. Major brands don’t partner with troublemakers. Endorsements don’t go to unstable acts. Event organizers don’t book artists who may incite drama backstage. The music industry is still a business, and no business wants liability in place of an asset.

Take a cue from the likes of Olamide, Burna Boy, or even the late Sound Sultan. Their brands were forged not in controversy, but in consistency, growth, and a sense of identity. Even Burna Boy, who once had a “bad boy” rep, eventually cleaned up his image and focused on his craft, and the results speak for themselves: global tours, Grammy wins, and brand deals.

“The street gave Portable his voice. But if he keeps disrespecting that voice, even the street will tune out,” warns Chibuzor Ekeh, a street culture analyst based in Agege. “We’ve seen this pattern before. Today’s noise becomes tomorrow’s silence.”

What is perhaps most ironical is that Portable has raw talent. Beneath the madness is a street poet with rhythm, energy, and a unique sound. But talent without control is like a car with no brakes, thrilling, but bound to crash.

The Saheed Osupa case was a warning. The fact that Osupa, a man known for his calm and maturity, even considered legal action speaks volumes. That elders in the music industry had to step in to broker peace is even more telling. Portable was not just being dramatic, he was digging a hole he couldn’t crawl out of. And next time, he might not be lucky to find a ladder waiting for him.

So, who will tell Portable that controversy is not a PR strategy? Who will remind him that public sympathy fades, but reputation remains? Who will let him know that every insult hurled, every lie told, every bridge burned, comes with a receipt?

Because if nobody tells him now, it may soon be too late. When the last blog stops reporting, the last follower unfollows, and the last show cancels, he’ll realize too late that the only thing louder than controversy is silence. And by then, he’ll have no one to perform for, not even himself.

To this writer, Portable should be told that reputation is currency, talent is capital and controversy is debt. Portable must decide which one he wants to build with.