Controversial street-pop singer Habeeb Okikiola Badmus, better known as Portable, has thrust himself into the heart of the 2027 presidential race with a fiery warning to his fellow Yorubas: support President Bola Tinubu’s reelection or face divine retribution.
The self-styled “Zazu” crooner, whose raw, no-holds-barred lyrics and larger-than-life persona have made him both a fan favorite and a perpetual headline magnet, did not mince words.
Speaking directly to the camera in the clip circulating on platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Portable invoked traditional Yoruba spiritual forces while declaring his new allegiance to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We need peace, we want peace,” he said in the video. “If you don’t want war in Nigeria, you better vote for Tinubu. Thunder and Ogun will strike any Yoruba man who doesn’t. I have been signed and given APC clothes; don’t worry, I will soon start sharing rice and vegetable oil.”
The reference to “Thunder” is widely understood as an allusion to Sango, the Yoruba deity of thunder and justice, while Ogun represents the god of iron, war, and labor—potent symbols in a culture where spiritual oaths and curses still carry weight in political discourse, especially among grassroots supporters.
Portable went further, claiming he has been formally contracted by the APC to spearhead grassroots mobilization for Tinubu’s second term. He promised to begin distributing the classic campaign “stomach infrastructure” staples — bags of rice and vegetable oil — a tactic long associated with Nigerian political patronage.
The 33-year-old Ogun State native first burst onto the national scene in 2022 with his hit track “Zazu” and has since been embroiled in everything from public brawls and multiple marriages to run-ins with authorities and fellow artists.
His brand of street credibility has earned him a massive following among young Nigerians and market women, precisely the demographic political parties court with promises of palliatives.
Yet the explicit ethnic targeting framing the threat specifically at Yorubas has already sparked outrage and ridicule online. Critics accuse the singer of turning democracy into juju theater, while some supporters hail him as a fearless voice of the masses. “This is how you campaign in the village,” one social media user quipped, “but thunder no dey vote.”
As Nigeria inches toward another high-stakes general election, Portable’s video serves as a colorful—if unsettling—reminder of the blurred lines between entertainment, spirituality, and politics in Africa’s largest democracy.
Whether the self-proclaimed APC foot soldier will actually hit the streets with branded T-shirts and rice bags remains to be seen.
For now, one thing is certain: in the run-up to 2027, the Zazu crooner has ensured that no one will soon forget his name.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Controversial singer Portable has publicly declared himself an APC contractor for President Tinubu’s 2027 reelection bid, openly threatening fellow Yorubas with curses from Sango and Ogun if they fail to vote for Tinubu while promising to soon distribute rice and oil as part of the campaign.
