Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has demanded DNA tests to establish the paternity of his two children with actress Akinyanju Omobolarinde, better known as Ashabi Simple, before he agrees to provide financial support for their upkeep.
The latest development emerged on Friday, September 18, 2026, amid another public dispute between the singer and Ashabi over the welfare of their children.
Reports by Punch and other Nigerian media outlets said Portable made the demand in social media posts and voice recordings circulating online. The singer reportedly said he wanted scientific confirmation of paternity before accepting responsibility for the children’s maintenance.
The dispute has added a new dimension to the increasingly public disagreement between Portable and Ashabi, whose relationship has previously generated considerable attention on social media and in Nigerian entertainment news.
Portable Links Child Support to DNA Test
According to reports about the voice notes and messages circulating online, Portable told Ashabi that he would not provide financial support for the children until DNA tests had been conducted.
The singer reportedly questioned the children’s paternity and said he did not trust Ashabi sufficiently to accept responsibility solely on the basis of their physical resemblance to him.
Per Second News reported that Portable questioned Ashabi’s movements during the period they lived together and argued that the children’s resemblance to him was not enough to establish paternity. The publication said he insisted that the matter should instead be resolved through a DNA test.
Other reports, including those by Legit.ng and TooXclusive, similarly said the singer demanded that Ashabi meet him at a hospital for DNA testing before he would consider paying child support.
The paternity claim remains an allegation and dispute between the two parties. There is no indication in the reports reviewed by Weng Global that a DNA test has been conducted or that any independent test has established a different paternity result.
Dispute Follows Child-Welfare Argument
The DNA demand came after reports that Ashabi had raised concerns about financial support for their children.
According to reports published on Friday, Ashabi was said to have threatened legal action over alleged failure by Portable to provide money for the children’s feeding and welfare.
Portable reportedly reacted angrily to the threat, questioning why Ashabi had allegedly contacted his manager instead of approaching him directly.
He also reportedly argued that if the children were placed in his care, he would personally provide for their school fees, clothing, feeding and other needs.
New Telegraph reported that Portable’s response followed claims surrounding the children’s upkeep and disagreements over how financial support should be handled. The publication also reported that he questioned whether money sent to Ashabi would be used directly for the children’s welfare.
The competing accounts have not been resolved publicly through a court determination or independent verification.
A Relationship That Has Played Out Publicly
Portable and Ashabi Simple have had a highly publicised relationship over several years.
Ashabi, whose real name is Akinyanju Omobolarinde, has been described in Nigerian media reports as the mother of two of Portable’s children.
The pair welcomed their first reported child together in 2023. Pulse Nigeria reported at the time that Portable publicly referred to Ashabi as his wife during their son’s naming ceremony.
In September 2024, Legit.ng reported that the singer and Ashabi had welcomed a second child, a daughter. The publication described the child as their second together.
Their relationship has since deteriorated, with disagreements repeatedly becoming the subject of public social-media exchanges.
The latest dispute therefore concerns not only the question of financial responsibility but also the status of their relationship and the arrangements for caring for their children.
Previous Disputes Between Portable and Ashabi
The current disagreement follows earlier confrontations involving the pair.
In January 2026, Portable was arrested and arraigned in connection with allegations arising from a confrontation involving Ashabi and others at his establishment in Ogun State.
Punch reported that Portable was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Ota, Ogun State, following allegations including assault and resisting arrest. The case involved allegations made in connection with an incident at his bar.
Premium Times separately reported that the singer was arraigned on a nine-count charge involving alleged assault on police officers and other individuals, among other allegations.
Those allegations and proceedings are separate from the current disagreement over child support and paternity.
The history is relevant because it shows that the latest dispute is occurring against a backdrop of an already strained relationship that has repeatedly spilled into public view.
Ashabi’s Earlier Concerns About Support
The disagreement over financial responsibility is also not entirely new.
In June 2026, reports said Ashabi had publicly complained about Portable’s financial support for their children.
Nollytrailers reported at the time that Ashabi alleged Portable had failed to provide consistent financial support for six months before subsequently sending ₦200,000 following an intervention by her mother.
That earlier dispute provides context for the latest exchange, although the claims made by either party about the history and amount of financial support have not been independently established in the reports reviewed.
The latest argument appears to have shifted from a disagreement over the amount or regularity of support to a fundamental dispute over paternity and how the children’s welfare should be managed.
Portable’s Position
Portable’s reported position is that he wants DNA testing before accepting responsibility for the children.
The singer has reportedly questioned whether the children are biologically his despite acknowledging their resemblance to him.
His position, as reported by Per Second News and other outlets, is that scientific testing should settle the question rather than relying on appearance or assumptions based on the relationship he had with Ashabi.
Portable has also reportedly argued that he is willing to provide for the children if they are in his direct care.
According to reports, he objected to allegations that he was simply refusing to take responsibility and instead maintained that he wanted greater control over how the children’s needs were handled.
However, his comments have been made in the context of an ongoing personal dispute, and claims by either party about the other’s conduct should be treated as allegations unless independently established.
Ashabi’s Position
Reports indicate that Ashabi has been seeking financial support for the children’s daily needs and has raised the possibility of legal action.
However, the full details of her latest position have not been independently established from an official court filing or a complete statement reviewed by Weng Global.
Some reports have circulated portions of exchanges between the two parties, but social-media recordings and excerpts can provide only a partial picture of a wider dispute.
For that reason, claims concerning the couple’s private relationship, alleged conduct during their time together or the handling of money should not be treated as established facts without supporting evidence.
Why the DNA Demand Matters
The latest dispute has attracted attention because paternity testing could potentially resolve one of the central questions now being raised by Portable.
A DNA paternity test is designed to determine whether a man is the biological father of a child by comparing genetic material. If both parties voluntarily agree to testing, the result could provide scientific evidence relevant to the dispute.
If the matter proceeds into formal legal proceedings, however, questions surrounding child support, custody, parental responsibility and the admissibility or conduct of genetic testing would be matters for the appropriate legal authorities.
The current reports do not establish that a court has ordered a DNA test or that formal proceedings specifically concerning paternity have begun.
It is therefore important to distinguish Portable’s demand from any confirmed legal determination.
The Wider Child-Welfare Question
Beyond the celebrity dispute, the controversy highlights a broader issue that affects separated parents generally: the responsibility of both parents to ensure that children’s welfare is not undermined by disagreements between adults.
The children involved are not responsible for the conflict between their parents, and public disputes over their upbringing can expose private family matters to widespread social-media attention.
For public figures, disagreements can become particularly difficult to contain because statements made online can quickly become entertainment news and generate commentary from millions of people.
In this case, the public discussion has moved between questions of financial support, custody, trust, paternity and the future relationship between Portable and Ashabi.
Those issues are distinct and should not automatically be treated as proof of wrongdoing by either party.
What Happens Next?
The immediate next step reported by Portable is a demand for DNA testing before he provides financial support.
Whether Ashabi agrees to the proposed testing, whether the parties reach a private arrangement or whether the disagreement develops into formal legal proceedings remains unclear.
There is also no confirmed public result from a DNA test as of September 18, 2026.
Any future court filing, official statement or independently verified DNA result could provide greater clarity on the dispute.
For now, the available information establishes that Portable has publicly questioned the paternity of his two children with Ashabi and has linked financial responsibility to his demand for DNA testing. Ashabi, according to reports, has raised concerns about financial support for the children’s welfare.
The two positions remain disputed, and neither the paternity allegation nor the broader accusations exchanged between the pair should be treated as established fact without independent evidence.
The latest controversy is another chapter in the highly publicised and increasingly strained relationship between the singer and actress, with the welfare of their children now at the centre of the dispute.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Punch
- Per Second News
- Legit.ng
- New Telegraph
- TooXclusive
- Premium Times
- Pulse Nigeria
- Nollytrailers
.
