Olayiwola Matthew
Nigeria fuji icon, Saheed Akorede, popularly known as Osupa, on Tuesday prevented the re-arrest of Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable after another petition surfaced against him.
The legendary Fuji musician discontinued his case against Portable on Tuesday following an appeal by prominent Nigerians to settle the matter out of court.
In a new development, Mr Yemi George, Managing Director of Starwood Hotels Ilorin, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Tuesday that Osupa prevailed on him not to re-arrest Portable after collecting the sum of N6.3m for a show that he did not perform.
“I have obtained every necessary document to re-arrest him today (Tuesday) in order to refund my money but stopped out of respect for the legendary fuji musician (Osupa), he prevailed on me not to.
“My company, Starwood Hotels O2 Arena in collaboration with the leadership of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria, TAMPAN, put an event together for Portable to perform but he never did,” George said.
According to a document obtained by NAN, titled Petition for fraudulent and obtaining by false pretense the sum of N6.3m, the petitioners said they entered agreement with Portable on July 22, 2024, which he never respected.
According to the petition, Portable was paid N6.3m to perform at the ‘Kwara Tampan Fiesta’ on September 29, 2024, but failed to appear on stage at the agreed time.
Despite arriving over 16 hours late, he allegedly sneaked out of his hotel lodge without fulfilling his promise to perform.
The petitioners claimed that Portable’s actions caused significant financial loss and distress, and they were seeking a thorough investigation, prosecution, and restitution of the N6.3 million allegedly obtained through fraudulent means.
The petition was signed by Chief Olu Amusan, Governor, TAMPAN and Ayodele Demokun on behalf of Starwood Hotels 02 Arena.
NAN recalls that the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of Kwara command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, had in a statement on Sunday confirmed the arrest of Portable following a petition received from Osupa.
The petition borders on serious allegations which includes criminal defamation, threat to life, incitement, character assassination, conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and the use of abusive and insulting words.