MURIC Demands That NBC Ban Portable’s New Song Because It Glorifies Ritual Killing 

The newest track by the street-hop group Portable has been requested to be taken off the air by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) because it promotes ritual slaughter, according to the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

By Omotayo Olutekunbi

Portable released a new song named “Kuku Do Ritual” On Friday, January 20, 2023, in which he addressed the desire for riches and urged those who wished for money to use evil ways in order to obtain it because death is the inevitable end for all people, regardless of their deeds.

The song, in the opinion of MURIC, encourages ritual killing among the young people who listen to Portable and who he has a lot of control over.

The song is an open invitation to crime, according to MURIC Director Dr. Ishaq Akintola, who requested that the government take action to reduce the harmful effects it has on young people in a statement on Monday, January 23, 2023.

“We find this song disgusting, detestable and egregious. It is a brazen assault on Nigerian and African values. Portable’s latest song has reduced human life to the level of ordinary ants that can be stamped out under human feet without qualms and without consequences. It is an open invitation to criminality. It makes a mockery of law and order. It is an open disrespect for human life,” it reads.

“This song has the capacity to influence our young ones in a negative manner. It is also capable of destroying the future of the youth. Something must be done urgently. Already, there are several reports of young ones engaging in shameful act for the purpose of getting rich in their tender ages.

“MURIC calls on all men of goodwill, all mothers in Nigeria, Muslim and Christian leaders to rise against the madness called Yahoo Yahoo and ritual killings among young ones whose ambassador has just released this horrendous song in their praise. ‘Kuku Do Ritual’ is nothing but a eulogy to glorify and elevate the names of ritual killers to high heaven.

“This album calls for immediate action from Nigeria’s traditional rulers. They are the custodians of our tradition. We therefore take our cry for help to these royal fathers to speak up on this sacrilegious song released by ‘Portable’. They must put pressure on the authorities to stop the circulation and broadcast of this album on any radio or television station and through any medium whatsoever”.

MURIC called on government and relevant stakeholders to take necessary action against the singer.

“We invite the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Performing Musicians’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) to take necessary action with military dispatch,” it added.

“We see no reason why the security agencies should not investigate the author of this most embarrassing and irrational song to explain the number of rituals in which he has indulged. A scapegoat must be made of this album and its artist before the trend escalates.

“Nobody should hide behind artistic privilege, poetic licence or freedom of expression to launch such barbaric offensive on our culture, our norms and our values. This is beyond free speech. It is criminal speech. It is incitement to commit murder. It is instigation to criminality. It is a bestial invasion of decency and good manners.”

Since entering the public eye in 2021, Portable has gone on to become a popular musician who also attracts controversy with his songs and shenanigans.