By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
On Sunday, January 11, 2026, a video and eyewitness reports of street-pop singer Habeeb Okikiola Badmus, popularly known as Portable — crying uncontrollably inside a police station after being arrested in handcuffs following a complaint by his baby mama, Ashabi Simple — flooded social media. To many Nigerians, it looked like another episode in what has become a disturbing pattern. But for the Nigerian entertainment industry, it should be a loud and urgent alarm.
This is no longer just about Portable. It is about how Nigeria treats its most volatile talents — and how the industry is failing them.
Portable is one of the most naturally gifted street musicians Nigeria has produced in recent years. His rise from obscurity to national fame captured the raw energy of Nigeria’s informal music economy. Yet, unlike most stars who transition from chaos to structure, Portable seems trapped in a permanent state of instability. Arrests, street fights, public outbursts, police encounters, broken relationships — these have become part of his brand, even though they should never be.
And that is where the industry must accept responsibility.
In every major entertainment market — whether in the United States, South Africa, or the UK — artists with volatile personalities are not left to self-destruct. They are surrounded by lawyers, managers, publicists, therapists, security teams, and crisis handlers. In Nigeria, however, we often celebrate “rawness” without providing structure. We allow talent to grow, but we do not provide emotional discipline.
READ ALSO:Makinde Declares 2026 Pivotal, Promises Road Repairs, Omituntun Continues
Portable does not need to be a saint. But no global star cries inside a police station while their career collapses in real time.
When Davido was involved in controversies, his team spoke. When Burna Boy faced legal trouble abroad, lawyers intervened. When Naira Marley was detained, the industry mobilised. Portable, however, is left alone to fight the system with Instagram Live and street bravado.
That is not management. That is abandonment.
Portable’s repeated public breakdowns suggest something deeper than mere stubbornness. They suggest a lack of professional guidance and psychological support. The man clearly does not understand how power, fame, and law interact. He reacts like someone still living in survival mode — quick to fight, quick to insult, quick to cry — instead of someone operating inside a billion-naira industry.
No serious entertainment industry allows its assets to become its own worst enemies. His fights at shows, clashes with fans, street brawls, and now family disputes turning into police cases have damaged his brand more than any critic ever could. Promoters hesitate. Corporate sponsors stay away. International collaborators avoid him. Yet the same industry that profits from his music stays silent while he self-destructs.
That silence is dangerous.
Nigeria has turned Portable into a spectacle — the “crazy genius,” the “street king,” the “uncontrollable star.” But that is not a sustainable career model. It is a tragic one.
The industry must intervene not because Portable is innocent, but because he is valuable—and currently unmanaged. He needs:
– A professional manager who controls access
– A legal adviser who handles disputes
– A media team that protects his public image
– A mental health support system that stabilises him
Without these, he will continue to meet the police more than promoters.
What happened on January 11 was not entertainment gossip. It was a public breakdown. And every breakdown that goes unaddressed pushes Portable closer to becoming a cautionary tale instead of a lasting legend.
Nigeria cannot continue to produce stars only to let them drown in their own chaos. Portable does not need more sympathy. He needs structure.
He does not need online mockery. He needs professional intervention.
And the industry that profits from his talent must no longer pretend this is just his personal problem.
READ ALSO:Nigeria to Overtake Germany, UK and Japan by 2075
Because when a star keeps crying in police stations, it is not just a personal tragedy — it is an industry failure.
Ibrahim Taofeek Kegbegbe is a journalist and public affairs analyst.
