Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Chairman of the 2021 edition of the Nigerian Lawyers Football League, has lamented how cardiac arrest was contributing to the sudden death of many lawyers in Nigeria.
Fagbemi revealed that sudden deaths occasioned by cardiac arrest had become worrisome among Nigerian lawyers in recent times because of lack of physical exercise and proper functioning of the heart.
The senior lawyer, while addressing a gathering of lawyers in Abuja during their on-going yearly football games, attributed the ugly trend to too much burden being carried by lawyers on behalf of other citizens.
To arrest the trend, Fagbemi pleaded with lawyers, especially the young ones to always endeavor to free themselves from stress by participating in various forms of sporting events.
“Lawyers are by training, burden bearers for others. These they do in several courts at the expense of their well-being, especially challenges to their healthcare.
“I want to appeal to all lawyers in this country, especially the young ones, that as we act as burden bearers for others in the course of practicing our noble law profession, it will not be out of place if we find time to act as football tigers on the fields.
“We are lawyers and burden bearers in court, for God sake, let us also become tigers on the football pitch and it is my hope that we shall be well guided in sports just like we do in law and court regulations”.
The SAN described the yearly soccer tournament as a noble idea helping legal practitioners to showcase their potentials.
Fagbemi, whose speech was delivered by another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Sam Tomi Ologunorisa noted that football had proved to be a veritable tool of uniting Nigerians of different backgrounds, in addition to sharpening the health of individuals.
Fagbemi expressed optimism that the annual soccer tournament would not only promote unity among lawyers but promote good health.
