Beyond the bar: my football journey with Barr. Seyi Akinwummi

Long before I entered a courtroom, I was on a soccer field, whether it was on a proper field playing for my elementary school or on a sand field playing “set.”

I played football from my teens until well into my forties when we played Sunday Football Football and sometimes joined the All Stars football players at Campos Square and later at Eagle Club, Surulere, eventually trading my boots for boardroom seats at the highest levels of Nigerian football administration.

Most people know me as a lawyer. But beyond the bar, I am a football fan, an enthusiast and a leader formed by this beautiful sport.

What started as pure passion evolved into a lifelong mission. Leading at the state, zonal and national levels and using sports as an engine for philanthropy revealed a profound truth: football is not just a game, it is life (apologies to HE Babatunde Raji Fashola).

Football taught me leadership, discipline, resilience, patience, strategy and the power of teamwork better than any textbook. The lessons learned on the pitch and in football administration directly influence how I practice law, lead teams, interact, and confront current challenges.

In this football episode of Beyond the Bar, I will look at that journey, the untold stories, the difficult decisions, the people, the strategy learned and the wisdom gained that stayed with me long after the final whistle.

Follow us each week as I share the journey.