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…..Abdulgafar Oladimeji becomes member International Council for Commercial Arbitration. As Alhaji Busari Oladimeji clocks 89
Erstwhile secretary, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN Kano chapter, Abdulgafar Oladimeji has been conferred with the membership status of the International Commercial Council for Arbitration .
The international headquarters of the council located in the Netherlands , in an official confirmation letter dated 1st November 2024 had confirmed his membership into the highly revered international body.
He would be tasked with functions in various committees, which includes trade, commercial disputes, media and technology.
Abdulgafar Oladimeji became an associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration in 2013, he is privileged to have served as a member of the Panel of Neutrals, Kano –Multi Door Court, Kano state High Court of Justice, thus making him viable resource for all to learn, and tap from .
He recently had the priviledge to serve as secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Constitution Review Committee ,set up by Kano state council .
Abdulgafar had worked as a member of various mediation committees and fact finding panels at the national, zonal and state levels .
He recently served as secretary of the mediation committee that was set up by NUJ Kano council to resolve the dispute between, Kano Pillars FC , and sports journalists in the state.
A two term assistant secretary SWAN Kano chapter, and one term secretary( then dubbed as the most powerful secretary in the SWAN family)due to his commitment, focus and vast wealth of knowledge in issues relating to sports trade unionism.
A well travelled sports journalists with countless FIFA, UEFA, CAF, Concacaf and AFC media accreditations in his kitty. Plans are top notched to have him in Atlanta, Georgia for the World Cup, in 2026!
He is a sports journalists, PFSA and IPSO trained football scout, he holds qualifications in journalism, law and philosophy from prestigious institutions from the US, UK, France and Qatar.
A mentor , when quizzed by this reporter, on his resilience and will power to always succeed in his given assignments , he simply said, “I come from a very strong background, where values are cherished, I am a strong believer in philosophy. I am an product of precept, statues, and ordinances .
“it may sometimes takes time to understand my stands, I travel not too fast, because of how i travel, many still find it hard to believe that I am the son of one of the first generation of management experts trained in northern Nigeria, alhaji Busari Alabi Oladimeji, who served with merit , under late Sardauna of Sokoto and premier of the northern region, sir Ahmadu Bello.
“alhaji my father, justice Akanbi, alhaji Adams, the renowned chartered accountant, I grew up watching them live a life worthy of emulation.
“also, many cant believe I am the son of the then Mrs Oladimeji of West African Drugs, who was popularly called madam Cafenol by the northern business community.
“many still find it hard to believe that I am deeply related and connected with one of the most successful business and academician in the US and UK, because of how I trek my path, its deep”
“no doubt I am from a traditional home from Offa both from my paternal and maternal heritage, I have been living my life and would continue to live my live, in the fear of herein and hereafter, that is the code, bro.”
“why I told you this little story is because, where my elder brothers and sister opted for other fields and live in US and UK, I choose sports and I always return back home, after my foreign trips, my father and mother believed me, I recalled the day my father and mother were discussing my issue, on why I opted to do sports , though my mother would always warn me, she would say to me, Akanbi always be brave, fear Allah, then do your sports with education, my dream in sports was to see the world through sports and I think to some extent, I have seen the world, America’s, Africa, Europe and Asia .”
“I will ever remain grateful to all those who have made it worked for me, too numerous to mention, but would find time to write a special thank you , in my upcoming work, titled Kano Boy, where I intend to mention all, I am human, I make mistakes, in my dealings , but one thing is sure, I hardly repeat same mistakes.
“the task ahead is big, well, I have chosen the path and it is my duty to brave it ,to see how far I can go, promoting and projecting sports arbitration is my mission.”
Oladimeji , who proceeded to Doha, Qatar to attend the Qatar International Centre for Conciliation and Arbitration, QICCA 5th World Conference on International arbitration described his newly found experience gained from attending the conference as captivating.
He said that the caliber of the moderators, presenters, discussants and participants comprises of the best in the field of arbitration, that were invited by the organizers from all over the globe to be the conference held at the Waldorf Astoria in Lusail .
In his words “in an arbitration room, where you have Qatari minister of state of justice HE Ibrahim Bin Ali Bin Al Hassan, Al Mohannadi, professor Gary Born, Ms Anna Joubin Bret of UNCITRAL
“where you had leaders from Asciarb, ICCA and Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS, ,eminent arbitration personalities drawn from amongst the best private practitioners , academicians, public service experts all from the from GCC, America’s, Africa, Europe, you know what to expect.”
He disclosed that the conference had served as a platform for high level networking, while also had fulfilled the role of hybrid training for fresher’s and established arbitration practitioners.
Oladimeji lamented that, Nigeria would need to heighten the growth in the practice of sports arbitration in its sports sector, noting that, Nigeria is left behind in the area of entrenching a trade friendly sports dispute resolutions system in line with the acceptable global practices in the industry .
“dispute resolution is key to industrial growth and held the ease in doing business, in Nigeria, we must proceed to address the mechanism of sports dispute resolutions system ,if truly we want to attract the right investments in infrastructures, improve earnings of athletes to boost productivity , improve investment in brands and merchandising must be seen to be taken seriously.
He assured that he returns to Nigeria from the event with new tools to help reface ADR, sports development issues from the arbitral perspective to help sports development.
In a related developments thousands of members of the sports fraternity have continue to felicitate with Alhaji Busari Alabi Gbadamosi Oladimeji as he locks 89.
The celebrant is the father of the news editor, Sahel Sports News.
The president Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, comrade Benjamin Isaiah led the array of prominent journalists who wished, Alhaji Allah’s guidance, good health and betters years ahead.
Joining the celebration crew is FIFA U-17 Nigeria’s World Cup wining coach, Manu Garba.
Others are ex football internationals, Baba Out, Husaini Alabi, Isa Madjer, Mohammed Musa, Akin Akinseheinde , they extend their profound best wishes to Alhaji Busari on the joyous occasion.
Gambian sports journalism veteran, Pa Modou Faal, newspaper guru and owner of the Daily Express News paper and one time West African RFI reporter Sam Obi were not left out of the party.
