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JUST IN: NBA Explains Why Portable performed at its 2023 conference
The Nigerian Bar Association has explained why singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, performed at the association’s 2023 Annual General Conference held on Thursday dismissing the rumour making the rounds that the artiste was paid to perform.
Late last night, netizens lashed out at the NBA for inviting Portable to perform at their show that consisted of “learned” individuals adding that the association had by that singular act not helped its reputation and reduced themselves to “razz”.
Others say the show was a joke and an embarrassment to the law profession known for conservatism.
But in his reaction, the National Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Akorede Lawal, during an interview on Friday, linked Portable’s presence at the event to entertainer Obi Cubana’s partnership with the programme as the headline sponsor.
He added that latter’s Cubana Group brought Portable because he was one of his products (Odogwu bitters) brand ambassadors and because being the headline sponsor came with bringing a guest artiste to perform at the ‘Unbar concert’ that usually has lawyers irrespective of their status to close the conference.
Lawal said, “We did not pay a dime to Portable for the concert. It is the largest gathering of lawyers anywhere in the world and so to that extent, we always write to sponsors to finance every level of our events.
“We have partners from America, Chile, and a host of other countries who pride in what we do and take it upon themselves to get the programme financed annually.
Speaking on whether lawyers staged a walkout on Portable at the event, the publicity secretary said, “No, they did not. The Friendship Centre is the customary place where all lawyers go to unwind, network and do all other social activities.
“So, the concert was meant to take place there but we later told the lawyers to move to the ‘Unbarred concert’ at the Velodrome of the National Stadium in Abuja because we don’t want two events at the same time given that that place (Friendship Centre) had been decorated already to promote their brands.
“They were the headline sponsor of the centre and that’s where the DJs and every other social activities had been going on since the start of the event. So we closed the place down to have a unified event,” he added.
He further appreciated the Cubana Group for sponsoring the event.
The conference tagged “Getting it right” marked the 63rd and it started on Friday, August 25 to Wednesday, August 30, 2023, with several activities earmarked for the occasion.
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Public holidays: FG declares December 25, 26, and January 1
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the public holidays on behalf of the Federal Government.
The Federal Government has declared Thursday, December 25, and Friday, December 26, as well as Thursday, January 1, 2026, as public holidays to mark the Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year celebrations.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the public holidays on behalf of the Federal Government.
In a statement by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Interior, Dr Magdalene Ajani, the minister extended warm Christmas and New Year felicitations to Christians in Nigeria and across the world.
He extended the same gestures “to all Nigerians as they celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of a new one”.
Tunji-Ojo urged Christians to reflect on the virtues of love, peace, humility, and sacrifice as exemplified by the birth of Jesus Christ, noting that these values are critical to promoting unity, tolerance, and harmony in the nation.
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KWAM1 loses bid to block Awujale selection process
KWAM1 had declared his interest in the vacant Awujale stool, claiming lineage from the Jadiara Royal House of the wider Fusengbuwa Ruling House.
• KWAM1
The Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode has refused to grant popular Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, alias KWAM1, an interim injunction aimed at restraining Governor Dapo Abiodun and five others from proceeding with the selection and installation of the next Awujale of Ijebuland.
Ayinde, represented in court by Wahab Shittu (SAN), had on Monday, sought the injunction pending the hearing of his substantive suit challenging the selection process.
But Justice A. A. Omoniyi dismissed the application, holding that the interim injunction lacked merit and that there were no strong grounds to justify its grant.
He subsequently ordered the expedited hearing of the substantive matter, fixing 14 January 2026 for proceedings.
KWAM1 had declared his interest in the vacant Awujale stool, claiming lineage from the Jadiara Royal House of the wider Fusengbuwa Ruling House.
However, the Fusengbuwa ruling house rejected his claim, stating that he is not from the royal house.
To challenge what he perceived as injustice, Ayinde filed a suit against the Fusengbuwa ruling house, Governor Abiodun, the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu, and three others
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November Petrol supply rises 55% to 71.5m litres daily
The report revealed that the domestic refineries supply in the period stood at 17.1 million litres per day, while the average daily consumption of PMS for the month was 52.9 million litres per day.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) November Fact -Sheets indicated that the supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, increased to 71.5 million litres per day in November 2025 from 46 million litres per day in October. This was an increase of 55 per cent.
In the report released yesterday, the agency said that the nation’s consumption also increased by 44.5 per cent to 52.1 million litres per day in November 2025, compared to the 28.9 million litres in October,. an excess of 37.4 million litres.
It said that the volume supplied came from both the domestic and the international market.
NMDPRA noted that the imports were aimed at building inventory and further guaranteeing supply during the peak demand period.
Other reasons for the increase, according to the NMDPRA, were due to “low supply recorded in September and October 2025, below the national demand threshold; the need for boosting national stock level to meet the peak demand period of end of year festivities and twelve vessels programmed to discharge into October which spilled into November.
The report revealed that the domestic refineries supply in the period stood at 17.1 million litres per day, while the average daily consumption of PMS for the month was 52.9 million litres per day.
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