Entertainment
NBA Provides Reasons For Portable’s Performance At 2023 Conference
The Nigerian Bar Association has clarified the reason behind singer Habeeb Okikiola, also known as Portable, performing at their 2023 Annual General Conference.
They have debunked rumors suggesting that the artist was paid for the performance.
Last night, social media users criticized the NBA for inviting Portable to perform at an event attended by “learned” individuals.
Some expressed the view that this decision damaged the association’s reputation and portrayed them as “unrefined.”
Others considered the event a humorous and embarrassing departure from the traditionally conservative image associated with the legal profession.
However, in response to these criticisms, the National Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Akorede Lawal, explained during an exclusive interview with PUNCH on Friday that Portable’s participation at the event was linked to entertainer Obi Cubana’s role as the headline sponsor of the program.
Additionally, Lawal mentioned that the Cubana Group, as the headline sponsor, brought Portable to the event because he was one of their product brand ambassadors, specifically for Odogwu bitters.
The sponsorship arrangement also included the responsibility of bringing a guest artist to perform at the ‘Unbarred concert,’ a tradition that features lawyers, regardless of their professional status, to conclude 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.
Award-winning Nigerian singer and activist, Yemi Alade has accused Cool FM Nigeria and Clout Africa of blacklisting her music after she failed to perform at an event organized by the platforms in December 2023.
The singer, in a series of tweets on Thursday night, alleged that her music has been removed from the stations’ playlists for nearly a year, despite her efforts to resolve the misunderstanding.
Alade explained that she was invited by Cool FM to perform at their December event but couldn’t attend.
According to her, she apologized for her absence in January 2024 but faced a cold reception from the management.
She claims this eventually led to her entire music catalogue being banned from the station’s playlists.
“Mr Serge and Mr Joseph, this life is not hard like that. WE SEE YOU… I SEE YOU @cloutafrica @CoolFMNigeria. This world is a small village. My God will fight for me… Una dey form gatekeepers in 2024,” she tweeted, referring to Cool FM and Clout Africa executives Serge Noujaim and Joseph Adamu.
Alade expressed shock at what she described as a deliberate attempt to sabotage her career by refusing to play her songs. She accused the station of barring both her old and new music from the airwaves.
READ MORE: NANTA Champions Nigeria’s Tourism Revival With ₦742m Investment
“Since December 2023. I personally reached out in January. You are still refusing to play my music and giving my team a hard time. You’re not gatekeepers, and you are not God, Mr Serge Noujaim and Mr Joseph Adamu,” she wrote.
She further criticized the lack of communication from the management regarding the issue.
“The common decency to reach out and clear out any misunderstanding borne out of sheer carelessness on your path for a whole year, and your next move is to place an embargo on my songs? Remove my whole catalogue,” she added.
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has congratulated his nephew and global music icon, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido on the occasion of his birthday, describing him as a superstar Osun State is proud of.
This was revealed in a statement by his Spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, where he cited Gov Aeleke as pointing to Davido’s consistency, energy and passion yielding the result he has recorded not only in his music career but also in his life as a person.
Gov Adeleke, stated Rasheed, prayed for progress, more success and achievement for Davido, while commending his continuous outreach to the orphanages and less privileged, which he described as ‘a noble act every blessed hand in Nigeria must emulate’.
ALSO READ: Adeleke Represents SW On Ad Hoc Committee on Nat’l Electrification Plan
He said, ” I want to rejoice with my nephew, David Adeleke, Davido, on the occasion of his 32nd birthday, I am very happy we are all alive to witness it.
“Davido is a global super star that Osun State is very proud of. The consistency, energy and passion he has inserted into building his music career is evident in the result he has recorded not only in his career but also in his life as a person.
“I pray for him for progress, more success and achievement in long life, prosperity, sound health and mind.
“I equally want to commend his continuous outreach to the orphanages and less privileged. I must say that this is a noble act every blessed hand in Nigeria must emulate.
“Once again, Happy Birthday to Davido”.
Afrobeats sensation Wizkid has unveiled his highly anticipated sixth studio album, Morayo, released today (Nov. 22) via Starboy Entertainment and RCA Records.
The album, whose title translates to “I see joy” in Yoruba, is an emotional tribute to his late mother, Juliana Morayo Balogun, who passed away in August 2023.
“Best album I ever made!! Now listen! It’s only up from here!” the Grammy-winning artist tweeted in July, building anticipation for the 16-track project.
Morayo features an impressive lineup of collaborations, including Brent Faiyaz on “Piece of My Heart,” Asake on “Bad Girl,” Tiakola on “Après Minuit,” Jazmine Sullivan on “Bad For You,” and Anaïs on “Slow.” The album also includes previously released singles like “Piece of My Heart,” which reached No. 4 on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and No. 7 on World Digital Song Sales, and “Kese (Dance).”
Notably, Wizkid and Asake’s collaboration on “MMS” has earned a Grammy nomination for Best African Music Performance in 2025, cementing their impact on the global music stage.
READ MORE: Wizkid Unveils Morayo Album Tracklist Featuring Asake
The tracklist for Morayo includes:
1. Troubled Mind
2. Karamo
3. Kese (Dance)
4. Bad Girl (feat. Asake)
5. Time
6. Piece of My Heart (feat. Brent Faiyaz)
7. Break Me Down
8. Bend
9. A Million Blessing
10. Après Minuit (feat. Tiakola)
11. Bad For You (feat. Jazmine Sullivan)
12. Soji
13. Don’t Care
14. Slow (feat. Anaïs)
15. Lose
16. Pray
This marks Wizkid’s first album in three years, following More Love, Less Ego, which reached No. 2 on the World Albums chart and No. 59 on the Billboard 200. His previous projects, including the Grammy-nominated Made in Lagos (Deluxe), have solidified his place as a global music icon.
Fans can stream Morayo now and experience the evolution of Wizkid’s sound, deeply rooted in love, loss, and celebration.
Yemi Alade Accuses Cool FM, Clout Africa of Blacklisting Her Music
Gaetz Withdraws From Trumps Cabinet Nomination
Moghalu Prescribes Good Governance As Panacea To Ethnic Agitation
Davido Is Our Son, Our Pride – Gov Adeleke
NANTA Champions Nigeria’s Tourism Revival With ₦742m Investment
Adeleke Represents SW On Ad Hoc Committee on Nat’l Electrification Plan
OSSG Raises Alarm Over Murder Plot By APC Chieftain
NCC, SMEDAN, NAICOM, SEC, Others Set for SUPERNEWS SMEs Conf June 13
Sahara’s Tonye Cole resigns from GPHCDA
Oando opens ultra-modern petrol station in Lagos
Niger Delta Avengers: President Buhari Reads riot Act …considers the carrot and stick option
