The Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has identified dearth of publications as a militating factor against sports law development in the country.
Governor Akeredolu, who described sports law and its associated businesses as money-spinners in the country, noted that the scarcity of publications on sports law and practice has made it unattractive to interested lawyers.
The Governor spoke in Abuja on Monday at the Public Presentation of a book titled “Sports Law and Practice”, written by Dr. Emmanuel Olowononi, a lecturer at the Nigerian Law School.
Akeredolu said the book is an eye opener, adding that it will encourage interested lawyers to go into sports law with a working tool.
The Governor said: ”You know sports are growing. Gone are those days when sports were all about amateurism. But there is professionalism now in all sports. We have professional people who are athletes. We have professional footballers.
“So, in sports in Nigeria, there is dearth of publications. I had not even seen anyone before now. This is the first one I will see. So, it is going to open everyone’s eyes.
“And as a few of my colleagues said, the President of the Bar, Awomolo and Co, this will open the door to many lawyers who can now take it up. You know so many lawyers are being turned out by the Law School in their thousands.
“If a few of them go into sports law or sports administration or become sports agents, a lot of money is there. So, this book could assist.
“As I said in my speech, I am a sports lover. There was a time I had to be making references or getting precedences from London to use. But people can now work on it.
“You heard from the representative of the Minister for Sports when he said he will now have a working tool that he can make reference to when he is advising the minister. So, it is a good book.”
The Governor, who said more lawyers will delve into sports law with the availability of the book, noted that when there is dearth of publications, lawyers don’t get interested.
“Because when you have dearth of publications, you don’t get interested in such things. But now more lawyers will get interested in sports law, and sports law can lead you into sports administration.
“If you have your laws at your fingertips and you can make reference to them easily, then nothing stops you from being a sports agents. And you will make a lot of money, much more than even practicing,” he stressed.
