Social media went abuzz with mixed reactions over the recent arrest of Nigerian controversial singer Portable, real name Habeeb Okikiola by the Nigerian Police, concerning his inability to pay the balance of N14 million from a N27 million worth G-Wagon he purchased in 2023. The incident was a gloomy representation available to describe how the society has derailed morally, and of how members of the security agencies in Nigeria have demonstrated flagrant disregard for the rule of law on the process of debt recovery, arrogant ignorance demonstrated by some people who have influence to swing the security agencies to their advantage, and the impulsive acceptance of ignorance of the law by victims, and their sympathizers. More to what this belittling reaction by Singer Portable connotes was that, the Nigerian entertainment industry might have thrown every available standards into the wind, and that video of Portable being dragged into a Sienna Van like an unlucky thief, cannot, and will never inspire some young an up-coming artistes to consider Singer Portable as their role model, writes Fakunle Sheriff Ekundayo.
It is no longer news that Habeeb Okikiola popularly known as Portable was arrested by the Nigerian Police, over failure to pay the balance of N14million from the N27million G-Wagon, luxury car he bought in 2023.
Punchng.com an online news platform said that Police Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed arrest of the singer.
The controversy concerning debt recovery of the luxury car may have started in 2023, after singer Portable was involved in a ghastly motor accident with the newly bought black G-wagon, in July 2023.
Rumours had it that trouble began when Portable decided not to pay the balance of N14 million, after he claimed that the G-wagon he bought had been faulty.
A video that went viral on the social media space, revealed other evidences, such as previous conversations, and exchange of heated words between singer portable and the car dealer.
The lady in the video had mocked the Zazu crooner over his phone conversation threats, adding that she had finally brought Habeeb Okikiola to his knees. More to that, a lady believed to be close to Singer Portable was also video-taped in an uncomfortable situation in a car, as she kept pleading for her innocence over the debt.
Quite disturbing was the visual process of the debt recovery. The Nigerian Police under this circumstance demonstrated an attitude of enforcement that has become acceptable to the Nigerian society.
Habeeb Okikiola on his part has continued to remain unethical as a singer who is suddenly attaining global recognition. He came into the music scene without observing the standards required. He was accepted in some quarters, and some supposedly acclaimed recording artists in Nigeria, and abroad seems to have endorsed his rascality, thug life, and uncouth public engagement, yet some people loved him, because they encouraged nepotism under the guise of pure talent!
When does a civil contractual relationship amount to criminal action for debt recovery?
Was there a written agreement to involve the police in the event of an unpaid balance for the N27million black G-wagon?
Was it legal that the Nigerian Police can enforce physical restraint on a person, persons who resist arrest on civil matters?
And how did society accepts disdainful behaviours from law enforcement agency as part of social comportment for ‘suspected’ erring offenders?
According to the definition of debt recovery: It is the use of third party known as collection as collection service to recover loans as the name implies, is the process of collecting or regaining the money someone owes you.
It clearly states further that it’s unconstitutional to involve the police in recovering debt. Duties of the Nigerian Police under the Police Act did not contain the responsibility of the police to arrest a debtor on the instruction of a creditor.
“The failure of a debtor to liquidate his debts is not criminal offense under the law, it’s a civil offence and As such, the services of the Police and other security agents will not be required. They do not have the power to prosecute a debtor.” {michaelmaschambers.com}
Such was the position of the Nigerian Supreme Court verdict in the in the case between KURE v. COP [2020] LPELR_49378{SC}.
On the part of singer portable, his actions to jump over the fence after representative of the law enforcement agency served him warrant of arrest, depicts how the Nigerian society have celebrated inordinate public behavior, and crass impulse from a growing musical ambassador in the country.
And while the regulatory body of the Nigerian Music industry may not be entirely held responsible in this regard, so much needs to be done by the regulatory agency on the aspect of PR for recording artists in the society.
The video surrounding his arrest must not, and should not be considered as another PR stunt, designed for singer portable to trend. His actions in that video were condescending and insulting to the corporate endorsement of singer portable, as an entertainment personality in Nigeria.
The singer has over the years being identified for being unnecessarily melodramatic with unprintable utterances in his social media posts, and reason why some ‘A-List’ artistes have continuously avoided the singer at every given occasion.
Just like the ‘big smoke and tobacco’, he serenaded to the delight of his admirers on the social media space, Singer Portable may have played in the rain as a toddler longer than necessary, because the little water that flows has turned to flood, and Singer Portable may be swept away with his shameless public display for good!
Will it be appropriate to encourage role models like this in our entertainment space? Is this the kind of marketing stunt some PR agencies are scripting for targeted companies to use Singer Portable for?
And while some experts would be quick to argue that you move with the tide of time and make a profit out of it, this should not necessarily suggest that social norms, values and acceptable morality should be thrown into the bin with reckless abandon. Every action on social media should not be encouraged as a means of entertainment. We are sitting on a keg of gun-powder under the guise of immoral civilization!
This is not how to ‘keep up with the Jones’; Singer Portable did not demonstrate civility in his attitude as a rising recording artiste by jumping over the fence to evade an arrest. And the Nigerian Police must improve on their civil engagement with members of the public, by not taking advantage of some people’s ignorance of the law in order to enforce a civil action when there is no crime in the first place.
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