Alex Enumah in Abuja
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Chukwuka Ikwuazom, has been unveiled as the sponsor of the 2023 Annual Abuja Lawyers Football League.
Ikwuazom was unveiled at a gathering of lawyers, including participants and fans in Abuja, over the weekend.
Speaking at the occasion, the senior lawyer, who was also a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos branch, disclosed that his keen interest and love for the round leather game is behind his desire to sponsor the 2023 lawyers league.
Ikwuazom SAN, further disclosed that he has been involved in organizing football games since 2003 when the chambers he is working with initiated a yearly football tournament in honour of the chamber’s founding fathers, late Chief Olumide Aluko.
He also pointed at the health benefits of exercising and sports as another reason he decided to sponsor the 2023 league.
“As lawyers, the work we do is very tasking, meanwhile we live a sedentary lifestyle which poses a great risk to our health”, he said, arguing that the tournament will help the lawyers exercise and keep fit.
Besides exercising and keeping fit, Ikwuazom observed that such an event which brings players, supporters and football lovers together has great value and present opportunities for lawyers to meet in a much more relax environment and socialise.
Organisers of the event represented by Olujimi Olujide-Poko, observed that the football tournament which started with merely six teams and no prize money has grown over the years to become something lawyers look forward to yearly.
He said at the inception “men played for the glory, no prize money” because the idea then was borne out of the need to get lawyers interact and socialize without any formalities.
He however disclosed that 24 teams will be participating in this year’s league which will kickstart ok on March 4and run till May 13.
“This year, female lawyers will play alongside the men,” adding that while the prize money has been increased from N250k to N400k for the winner and that of second and third increased from N200k to N30k and 100k to N200k respectively for the male that of the female is now 200k, N150k and N100k for 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively.
