The organizers of Nigeria’s prestigious music award show The Headies have disqualified popular singer Portable from being nominated.
The organizers noted that the singer had received negative attention from the Nigerian police and the general public.
In a statement released on Tuesday, organizers also cited the criminal investigation conducted by the police into the singer’s recent crimes.
Part of the statement read: “We are sorry to announce that after the numerous indictments of Mr. Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as ‘wearable’, and the incessant negative attention Mr. Okikiola has recently received from Nigeria Police Force and the general public, the Headies organizers have decided to disqualify Mr Okikiola as a candidate for the upcoming 15th Headies Awards.
“As the subject of an investigation into criminal activity, Mr. Habeeb Okikiola is hereby disqualified from both categories of awards at the upcoming 15th Annual Headies Awards to be held later this year.”
Portable was nominated in the Best Street Artiste and Rookie of the Year categories.
After his nomination, the singer had threatened other nominees of the award, to which the organizers also responded.
Smooth Promotions Limited, the parent company of the Headies, had written a petition to the Nigerian police to formally notify them of the singer’s threat to other nominees for the award.
They also asked the singer to apologize for his statement, which the singer later did.
In recent times, however, the Inspector General of the Police, Usman Baba, has called for an investigation into the singer after he suggested that he founded cult groups.
