Veteran Fuji icon, Akorede Babatunde Okunola, popularly known as Saheed Osupa, has taken a surprising step in his ongoing dispute with controversial Afrobeats artist Habeeb Okikiola Badmus, better known as Portable.
In a move that has stirred public discourse, Osupa has officially ordered the withdrawal of the legal case he filed against Portable.
This announcement comes in the wake of Portable’s remand at the Oke Kura Correctional Centre in Ilorin, after failing to meet bail conditions set by an Upper Area Court in Kwara State on Monday, April 14.
Portable, aged 31, had earlier been granted bail set at ₦1 million, on the condition that he provides two sureties of equal value.
One of the sureties was required to be either the Chairman or Secretary of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), while the other needed to own a property in a Government Reserved Area, with a valid Certificate of Occupancy to support the claim.
Despite the relatively clear instructions, Portable struggled to meet the conditions and was remanded as a result. His legal troubles stem from a petition Osupa filed on Sunday, April 13.
In that petition, Saheed Osupa accused Portable of criminal defamation, threats to life, incitement, character assassination, and public misconduct capable of disturbing the peace.
The accusations followed a series of social media outbursts by Portable that targeted Osupa in a manner that Osupa’s camp described as deeply damaging.
“It wasn’t just about an insult,” an insider said. “It was about sustained defamation and the reckless endangerment of reputation.” The matter had escalated rapidly, drawing legal intervention.
Now, in a fresh twist, Osupa’s legal team has issued a statement announcing the withdrawal of the case. The statement not only confirmed the retraction of the lawsuit but also explained the motivations behind the initial legal action.
According to the release, “The legal proceedings were initiated as a response to the consistent violation of intellectual property rights, as well as defamatory comments that crossed the line of acceptable conduct. The intention was not revenge, but to uphold a standard of accountability in the creative industry.”
The statement further elaborated that the lawsuit was meant to serve as a deterrent, particularly for younger artists who might feel emboldened to disrespect veterans or disregard industry ethics.
“We hoped to set a precedent,” the statement read. “But we are also guided by a spirit of compassion. We believe that growth is possible, even for Portable. This moment could be a turning point in his life and career if he chooses to embrace maturity over mayhem.”
However, Osupa’s magnanimity comes with conditions. The withdrawal of the legal case is contingent upon three specific actions from Portable. First, he must publicly retract his defamatory statements.
Second, he is expected to confess that the allegations he made were false. And third, he must sign a formal undertaking promising not to repeat such behavior in the future.
These requirements, Osupa’s team emphasized, are non-negotiable. “This is not just about ending a feud,” the statement concluded. “It’s about setting things right and ensuring respect is restored in the Nigerian music space.”
