The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has clarified why Portable performed at the association’s 2023 Annual General Conference held on Thursday.

The singer’s performance at the programme tagged “unbarred concert” held at the Velodrome of the MKO Abiola Stadium, Federal Capital Territory, has sparked a range of reactions on social media.

In a viral video trending on the internet the shirtless Portable was seen climbing the poles to entertain the lawyers in the wee hours of Thursday, however, some attorneys left the stadium on foot and others in their vehicles while others stayed back to enjoy the singer’s energetic performances.

However, speaking on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Akorede Lawal debunked the rumour that the artiste was paid to perform.

Lawal said Obi Cubana Group brought Portable because he was one of his products (Odogwu bitters) brand ambassadors and because being the headline sponsor.

His words: “NBA didn’t pay a dime for the performance of Portable…we are appreciative. 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 to perform and we are appreciative of that.

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 industry 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 3:30 a.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,” he added.