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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.
….as FG starts two-week Kara Bridge repairs tomorrow
Motorists face severe traffic disruptions on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway starting Tuesday as the Federal Government begins a two-week repair of the Kara Bridge.
The Federal Ministry of Works has scheduled the rehabilitation works to commence tomorrow, with the project expected to last 14 days. The repairs aim to address structural issues on the critical bridge, a major link for commuters and heavy-duty vehicles between Lagos and Ogun states.
Authorities have advised road users to explore alternative routes or adjust travel times to avoid prolonged delays during the construction period. Traffic management measures are expected to be put in place, though details on lane closures or diversions have yet to be fully released.
News
FG announces two-week traffic delays on Kara–Berger Bridge for repairs
The TRACE Acting Commander, Mr A. Ojerinde, stated that a multi-agency operation including TRACE, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, and the Nigeria Police Force will be deployed along the corridor to enforce traffic control.
THE Federal Government has alerts motorists and commuters on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway of possible travel delays, starting Tuesday September 8 for two weeks repair works on the Kara–Berger Bridge
The project, earlier slated to commence in August 2026, was suspended for traffic review following public outcry over short notice and the need for effective traffic management.
The two-week rehabilitation project, directed by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, involves the replacement of deteriorating expansion joints to improve road safety, structural integrity, and long-term traffic flow on the busy corridor.
The project is expected to run through September 22, 2026.
The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE, alongside the Federal Ministry of Works and key stakeholders, in a statement, warned motorists to prepare for lane restrictions, particularly during peak commuting hours.
The TRACE Acting Commander, Mr A. Ojerinde, stated that a multi-agency operation including TRACE, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, and the Nigeria Police Force will be deployed along the corridor to enforce traffic control.
Ojerinde, who urged road users to plan ahead, said “Leave earlier than usual to accommodate expected travel delays.
A new documentary on the life and political struggle of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola is set to premiere in Nigerian cinemas in October.
Titled MKO, the 108-minute film is directed by Ose Oyamendan and produced with American documentary filmmaker Mark Jonathan Harris. It explores the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, widely regarded as free and fair, Abiola’s subsequent detention, and the controversial circumstances surrounding his death in custody in 1998.
The documentary features interviews with key figures including former military rulers Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, Abiola’s running mate Baba Gana Kingibe, members of the Abiola family, journalists, and diplomats.
Oyamendan, who worked as a young journalist during the June 12 crisis, has described the film as an investigative documentary that examines Nigeria’s unfinished democratic journey. It had its world premiere earlier this year at the Sheffield DocFest in the United Kingdom.
The Nigerian cinema release is scheduled for early October, with some reports linking the premiere to Independence Day on October 1.
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