Entertainment
Portable In Trouble After US Visa Denial
Again, Portable, the well-known Nigerian street artist whose real name is Habeeb Okikiola Badmus, has made headlines for a negative cause.
Potpourri received a statement indicating that Portable had reached an agreement with one Mr. Musibau Olawale Babalola, a music promoter based in the United States and the Chief Executive of Fathia Entertainment LLC, to collaborate on a musical concert.
The agreement stipulated that Portable would perform in 8-10 cities in North America, and the promoter would obtain an American Visa for Portable and his crew members.
Fulfilling his own end of the deal, the promoter engaged the services of American Attorney and paid the sum of $12,000:00( Twelve thousand US dollars) to secure a work permit for Portable to enable him transverse the designated US cities for the shows, in consonance with US immigration laws.
The promoter also said he paid the sum of $3,950 statutory fee for USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services work permit on behalf of Portable.
The promoter also submitted that he paid Portable the sum of $2,500, N3.4M and N1M respectively and a date was fixed for Visa interview at America Embassy.
“Portable in his characteristic manner, displayed unprofessional conduct at US embassy and exhibited other sundry abrasive behaviors and was denied visa on two occasions. All the pertinent questions normally asked of a visa applicant were posed to Portable and instead of him answering the question in simple English he understands, instead he decided to answer the Consular in his local language, obviously not understood by the Consular,” the promoter said.
“Portable’s denial of visa could be predicated on his claims on social media of being the founding member of a dreaded cult group. The US Embassy does not issue visas to people of questionable character and therefore could be one of the reasons he was denied visa,” he added.
After the visa denial saga, there was an agreement between the promoter and Portable, that the latter will refund all the expenses incurred.
Considering the circumstances, the promoter said he reduced the amount to be refunded to N8M and Portable agreed to make the payment, but pleaded to do so in 5 installments.
Portable made the first installment of N2M, but reneged on his promise to balance up. Due to Portable’s refusal to effect the balance payment, the music promoter engaged the services of M. B. Fabunmi Esq of law firm of Messrs Hoxton Partners to commence a legal proceedings against Zazzu star to recover the said debt and damages.
In the Lawyer”s letter to Portable, the sums of $29,890 and N3.4M were demanded from him and
Although his lawyer denied owing the music promoter $29,890, Portable admitted to owing a total of N8M, of which N2M has already been paid. The case has been assigned to Honourable Justice Ogala of the Ikeja High Court.
Eloswag, a former contestant on Big Brother Naija Season 7, has broken his silence following the release of his private video online.
The reality star reportedly uploaded a clip featuring himself and an unidentified woman on his Snapchat account at approximately 3 a.m. on Sunday.
Though Eloswag swiftly deleted the video, it had already caught the attention of the internet.
The explicit content quickly gained traction after being reposted by the controversial gossip blog, Gistlover, sparking widespread conversations across social media platforms.
In response to the incident, Eloswag took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his frustration and consider possible legal action.
In a now-deleted post, he wrote, “I mistakenly posted a video on my Snapchat by 3am and deleted it immediately, guess who has the video? GISTLOVER? How? Please, can I sue? Because it doesn’t make sense.”
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The reality star’s reaction highlights the challenges celebrities face when intimate content finds its way online.
While some supporters have shown empathy, others have engaged in heated debates about the responsibility of public figures in handling their digital content.
Eloswag’s predicament places him alongside other Nigerian celebrities who have dealt with similar scandals, such as Moyo Lawal, Tiwa Savage, Oxlade, and James Brown, whose private videos have previously surfaced online.
Legal experts have weighed in on Eloswag’s potential case, noting that while pursuing legal action against individuals or platforms that share such content can be complex, it is not impossible.
The development has reignited discussions on digital privacy and the ethical responsibilities of content-sharing platforms.
As Eloswag’s fans and critics await further updates, the incident underscores the precarious nature of online privacy and the far-reaching consequences of a single momentary lapse.
Nigeria’s Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina has claimed the No. 2 spot on the Miss Universe Pre-Arrival Hot Picks, solidifying her position as a top contender in the upcoming November 16, 2024, pageant.
As excitement builds for Miss Universe 2024, Adetshina’s ranking has sparked national pride and optimism in Nigeria, with many hopeful she could secure the title.
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Adetshina arrived in Mexico last month to prepare for the competition and has since captured widespread attention.
However, her path to Miss Universe has been marked by challenges.
Initially competing as Miss Taraba in Miss Universe Nigeria, she withdrew from the Miss South Africa pageant following online backlash regarding her nationality and accusations of fraud by the South African Home Office.
This setback, however, did not deter her ambitions.
Her current standing as a top pick underscores her growing international recognition and support, positioning her as a formidable contender ahead of the competition.
Many have taken to social media to voice their support, with some declaring her Nigeria’s best chance yet to secure the Miss Universe crown.
Nigerians have been ranked among the top social media users globally, with 2024 data positioning the country fifth in the world for average daily time spent online.
According to figures from Cable.co.uk and We Are Social, shared by World of Statistics on X, Nigerians spend an average of 3 hours and 23 minutes per day on social media.
Leading the global list is Kenya, where users spend the most time on social media at 3 hours and 43 minutes daily. South Africa follows closely with 3 hours and 37 minutes, Brazil with 3 hours and 34 minutes, and the Philippines at 3 hours and 33 minutes.
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With an average of 3 hours and 23 minutes, Nigeria ranks just behind these top four countries in social media engagement.
Other nations with notable social media usage include Colombia at 3 hours and 22 minutes, Chile and Indonesia both at 3 hours and 11 minutes. Completing the top ten are Saudi Arabia and Argentina, with daily averages of 3 hours and 10 minutes and 3 hours and 8 minutes, respectively.
By comparison, some countries report lower social media usage. Ghana averages 2 hours and 43 minutes, Egypt 2 hours and 41 minutes, and Thailand 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Among European countries, social media engagement is generally lower, with Portugal averaging 2 hours and 23 minutes, Romania 2 hours and 20 minutes, and Italy 2 hours and 17 minutes, highlighting significant regional variations in social media usage.
Full list:
Kenya – 03:43
South Africa – 03:37
Brazil – 03:34
Philippines – 03:33
Nigeria – 03:23
Colombia – 03:22
Chile – 03:11
Indonesia – 03:11
Saudi Arabia – 03:10
Argentina – 03:08
Mexico – 03:04
Malaysia – 02:48
Ghana – 02:43
Egypt – 02:41
Thailand – 02:30
Bulgaria – 02:26
Vietnam – 02:23
Portugal – 02:23
Romania – 02:20
Italy – 02:17
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