The 2024 edition of the annual inter-law-firm football competition in the FCT, Abuja Lawyers League, got off to a thrilling experience at the weekend with Yusuf Ali FC of Yusuf Ali (SAN) & CO cruising to a winning start, beating B&C Lakers FC of Babalakin & Co 1-0 in the opener match played at the D’Kings Turf Arena, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja.
The 2024 Abuja Lawyers League which is 8th edition in the series is tagged ‘The COPPA DEI CAMPIONI 2024’ with the famous lawyer, Yusuf Ali as headline sponsor.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP Sports on the sideline of the opener gae, chief coordinator of the league, Barrister Olujimi Olujide-Poko, assured the participants of the readiness organisers to host yet another remarkable edition of the football tournament.
According to him, a total of 22 law-firm football teams, comprising 18 male and four female teams will battle for honour in this edition of the tournament.
The teams are Yusus Ali FC, Glaciers FC, B&C Lakers FC, K.O.L FC, Numa, FC, Knights FC, i Dikko FC, J,b Daudu FC, Easy Read FC, Aweda FC, Binkoto FC, Philimon FC, Rahman FC, Rickey Tarfa FC, Ojuwu FC, E.LA FC, O&A Warriors and Maikyau FC.
Poko added that the competition, which will climax with an annual awards/dinner ceremony, will be used to speak loud on the danger of kidney diseases and its prevention.
“This year we are speaking out loud about kidney disease and we have fliers made out there to create awareness about chronic kidney disease. We also have our female colleagues participating in the competition as usual.
The basic idea behind the competition is to keep our health in check and to further encourage that we are providing free medical checks to the lawyers to have their health checked,” Poko said.
Yakubu Philimon (SAN), commended the organisers for creating the platform of Abuja Lawyers League for lawyers to come together unwind, exercise and keep fit.
“It is an opportunity for us to come together and bond as a community of lawyers in Abuja. It affords opportunity to unwind, exercise ourselves and interact outside the circle of just lawyers. It has been a platform where lawyers showcase themselves as talented in football as well.
“The nature of work is such that we sit in one place from morning till evening, sedentary in nature, therefore, the lawyers league gives us opportunities from the training to the competition itself to stretch ourselves, unwind and keep fit. It is only when a lawyer is healthy that he or she would be able to practice law effectively,” said Philimon.
