When it comes to Nigerian celebrities who’ve mastered the art of staying viral, Portable (born Habeeb Okikiola) is in a league of his own.
Whether he’s dropping a hit song, making outrageous claims, or stirring up drama, the self-acclaimed ‘Wahala’ Musician never stays off the timeline for long
But his recent messy spat with veteran Yoruba actress Laide Bakare proves something bigger. It proves controversy is no longer a side effect of fame, it’s a content strategy.
So how did this clash begin, and why is it fueling Portable’s brand in 2025?
How It All Started: From Libya Comments to Spiritual Threats
The latest clash between Portable and actress Laide Bakare began when the actress made a controversial statement suggesting that some Nigerian women working in Libya were call girls. Her remark sparked outrage online and Portable didn’t hesitate to jump into the fray.
Taking to Instagram, the Zeh Nation boss blasted Bakare for looking down on women who had migrated for survival. “Where do you see work in Nigeria?” he asked, mocking her statement that there are enough job opportunities for Nigerian youths. He continued:
“Before you accuse other women of selling their bodies, are you even still in your matrimonial home? You left Nigeria yourself!”
What seemed like a reaction to a general opinion quickly spiraled into a personal war, as Portable rekindled their old feud from 2024, when Laide Bakare called him a “dirty mad boy from Sango” during an appearance on the YouTube show Talk To B. In that interview, she criticized his vulgar behavior and described him as a bad influence on young people.
Portable didn’t forget.
In a series of fiery Instagram videos, he dragged the actress. Portable claimed that Laide Bakare had once invited him to perform at her event but couldn’t afford his performance fee. According to him, he declined the invitation, and that was what triggered her resentment. In his words:
“You call me dirty, yet you hugged me at a party. You laughed when I posted my birthday pictures. You asked for my WhatsApp number… and now I’m a dirty boy?”
“You invited me to your party, but you didn’t have the money to pay. I refused to come, and since then you’ve been angry, going around saying I’m not handsome.”
He didn’t hold back, firing another shot:
“I’m not handsome, yet you still wanted me at your party. You called me a dirty boy from Sango, and that’s why I’m calling you out. You started this.”
Then came the kicker:
“I’m fighting you because you’re not rich. If you had money, we’d be friends.”
He capped it off with a signature Portable line:
“I can buy you and marry you. You don’t even have a husband.”
That wasn’t the end.
Laide Bakare, clearly fed up, fired back in a heated video of her own. She challenged Portable directly, asking for his address and threatening to slap him so hard (“abara”) that he’d never forget it. In her words:
“You think you’re the only one with a monopoly on madness? If I hold you, I will deal with every hair on your body!”
“I need Portable’s full address, Mo ma shi e labara gidi, you said I’m not married. I will deal with you the way single people do.”
She also boasted about being born with glory and warned him to stop dragging her name.
But Portable wasn’t done either.
He responded with another barrage of voice notes, calling Bakare unprintable names and even accusing her of trying to “use his hair”. He went as far as saying he would invoke spiritual forces, promising to take her name to all the gods he knows, including Satan. He claimed:
“That name, Laide, has brought neither honour nor wealth to your life. It’s a cursed name.”
At one point, he mocked her marital status again, alleging that she once invited him to an event and refused to pay for his appearance. He also ridiculed her celebrity lifestyle, calling it all a façade.
To add more fuel to the fire, Laide posted a cryptic Instagram caption in Yoruba, saying:
“Portable, let your head be correct.”
Still not letting go, Portable released a snippet of a new single titled “D’abara bomi” (Slap Me), where he dressed up as a woman and danced in a pink blouse and wrapper, clearly mocking Laide’s threat. It instantly trended.
Social Media as the Battlefield
Portable’s response wasn’t just an emotional outburst. It was performance art. He released three separate rants, sprinkled with voice notes, subtle jabs, and outrageous commentary. The posts were picked up by blogs instantly, and fans ran wild with reactions, memes, and hot takes.
Laide Bakare, on her part, refused to be dragged into more mess. She posted cryptic captions about “dignity” and “ignoring clowns,” but Portable kept the fire burning, especially with his new sound.
And just like that, a 2-minute clip turned into a week-long media circus.
Why Portable’s Strategy Works
1. Shock Value Sells
Portable knows that being outrageous is currency in today’s social media economy. The more shocking the statement, the more likely it is to trend. And he gives the people what they want in a rather raw, unscripted and reckless way.
2. Drama = Relevance
While other celebs pay PR teams to trend, Portable does it with his mouth. Whether he’s fighting baby mamas, beefing fellow artistes, or taking on actresses like Laide Bakare, he keeps his name in conversations.
3. The Underdog Appeal
He proudly claims Sango-Ota as his origin, and even when he’s insulting people, he frames it as defending his hustle. That street-boy-turned-superstar story makes fans root for him, even when he’s wrong.
4. Multi-Industry Infiltration
With this clash, Portable crosses into Nollywood headlines, rubbing shoulders (and egos) with film royalty. It widens his audience and keeps both his music and persona marketable.
Final Thoughts: ‘Wahala’ as a Marketing Tool
Portable isn’t just Nigeria’s loudest celebrity, he might be its smartest in terms of clout strategy. Every feud, every insult, every outburst feeds a machine built on virality. And in 2025, that machine is running at full speed.
Laide Bakare may have thought she was offering a moral correction by responding to Portable. It however seems that what she ended up doing, was giving Portable another platform to dominate headlines.
Whether you love him or loathe him, one thing is certain: Portable knows how to spin ‘wahala’ into a win.
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