The Young Lawyers’ Forum of the Nigerian Bar Association (Ibadan Branch) has successfully hosted the 2025 edition of the Forum’s annual Know-Your-Law Symposium.
The Symposium, which was a Webinar held on Friday, the 26th of September, 2025, was titled “Sports Arbitration: A Cursory Look from the Nigerian Perspective” and had in attendance Legal Luminaries, Students, and members of the Nigerian Bar Association from across different branches.
While speaking at the symposium, Dr. Emmanuel Olowononi, renowned Sports Lawyer, Author, and Senior Lecturer at the Nigerian Law School, Abuja, insisted that stakeholders in the Nigerian sports industry should do everything possible to ensure that a proper, formidable judicial system is institutionalized for Sports Law in Nigeria. Olowononi said “the establishment of a Nigerian Court of Arbitration for Sports is long overdue and the Federal Government should implement the 2012 Proposal recommending the establishment of the said Court. I believe that the establishment of such a Court will enable Nigeria to meet up with international standards and global best practices in the field of Sports Law.”
Olowononi, in furtherance to the above, pleaded that in order to put an end to the legal argument and unsettled position regarding mandatory sports arbitration, Nigeria must enact a robust, comprehensive body of legislation like the Sports Dispute Act.
Another speaker, Mrs. Bukola Haastrup-Ashagidigbi, an Associate Partner at Funmi Roberts & Co. and a Masters of Law Degree holder from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, stated that there is a growing need for Sports Arbitration in Nigeria, and the policy gaps relating to Sports Arbitration must be reduced for the industry to thrive.
Whilst giving his closing remarks, Chairman of the Academic Board of the Young Lawyers Forum (Ibadan Branch), Tomiwa Fadeyi, thanked the two speakers as well as other attendees of the Webinar. Fadeyi noted that the Sports Arbitration field is one which is vital, but seems to still be in its developing phase in Nigeria. Fadeyi announced to a rousing applause that the Webinar has received accreditation from the National Institute of Continuing Education. He said that in line with the mandate of the Academic Board in the past over one year, a great deal of practical knowledge has been imparted for the benefit of the young lawyers and other attendees.
Fadeyi particularly thanked the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (Ibadan Branch), Mr. Ibrahim Lawal, and the Chairman of the Young Lawyers’ Forum (Ibadan Branch), Mr. Timilehin Olayiwola for the support given the Academic Board contributing to the success of the webinar.
