MURIC urges NBC to ban Portable’s ‘Kuku do ritual’’

An Islamic group, Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, on Monday, urged the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to ban ‘Kuku Do Ritual’. an album by Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable.

MURIC, in a statement by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said the new album would encourage youths and other Nigerians to embrace ritual.

The group said it finds the song disgusting, detestable and egregious, saying it is a brazen assault on Nigerian and African values.

He said Portable’s latest song had reduced human life to the level of ordinary ants that can be stamped out under human feet without qualms and consequences.

He cited examples of three teenagers caught attempting to kill a 13-year-old girl for a money ritual in Bayelsa State in January 2022 and four teenagers living in Abeokuta, Ogun State, who killed a girlfriend of one of them for a money ritual.

The group called on all men of goodwill, all mothers in Nigeria, and Muslim and Christian leaders to rise against the ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ madness and ritual killings among young ones whose ambassador has just released a horrendous song in their praise.

It also called for immediate action from Nigeria’s traditional rulers, being the custodians of tradition.

He appealed to religious leaders to put pressure on the authorities to stop the circulation and broadcast of the album on any radio or television station and through any medium whatsoever.

The group appealed to 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.