The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has said that it didn’t invite Habeeb Okikiola popularly known as Portable to it’s conference in Abuja.
Recall that the NBA recently held its annual conference with Portable entertaining the lawyers present at a point in the program.
However, during the event which held on Thursday, August 31, several lawyers were spotted leaving the event.
Backlash also came for the NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau as observers questioned the rational behind inviting the musician to an event if such standard.
Reacting to the criticisms, NBA stated that it did not invite Portable to the event.
The National Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Akorede Lawal, said; “The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference is the largest gathering of lawyers anywhere in the world, so the planning of such an event is not an easy one. You will have to partner with some people particularly because the NBA is not a profit-making organisation.
“So, because of the nature of work we do and the mental strain, we lawyers use the conference as an avenue to unwind. At every conference, we have a place we call the friendship centre where members can go to network, eat, and drink as the conference is going on.
“The friendship centre is like a market of entertainment that NBA does not manage. What the NBA does is partner with people or organization in the entertainment industry to handle the friendship centre.
“This year’s conference was managed by an entertainment company who managed the friendship centre. What they did was to bring an artiste signed to them to perform on the last day of the conference which is the 30th of August.
“Coincidentally, the NBA on its own organised a closing party called ‘Unbarred.’ The Friendship Centre is within the conference venue while the unbarred event was meant to be held at the Velodrome of the National Stadium.
“We didn’t want a situation where there would be two social events going on simultaneously, one at the friendship centre and one at the velodrome. So, there was an order that the fellowship centre be closed.
“However, before the order came, the headline sponsors had gone ahead for the Portable to perform. For the fact that they had made arrangements for Portable to come, we only wanted in the spirit of sportsmanship and brotherhood with our lead sponsor to allow him perform and we are appreciative of that.
“The NBA didn’t pay a dime for the performance of Portable, the sponsor of our friendship centre did and we are appreciative.
“In the course of the event, people were there and stayed even after Portable left. The event ended at 3:30a.m, when the DJ called for a close.
“The video circulating of lawyers leaving is not from the velodrome but from a marquee. It was a showcase session for a security agency that said something our members didn’t agree with, and they left. This happened in the afternoon at the marquee.”
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