Second Female NBA President in 66 Years: Who Is Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, What Should Nigerians Expect?

Badejo-Okusanya emerges second female president of NBA in 66 years

 

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has made history after emerging as the President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), becoming the second woman to lead Nigeria’s largest professional association since its establishment 66 years ago.

Her victory comes more than three decades after Priscilla Kuye became the first female NBA president, serving between 1991 and 1992.

Badejo-Okusanya will succeed Afam Osigwe (SAN) when she is inaugurated during the NBA Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt later this month.

Her emergence is widely regarded as a milestone for gender representation in the legal profession and the beginning of a new chapter for an association that plays a critical role in Nigeria’s justice system.

Winning the NBA election

Badejo-Okusanya recorded a convincing victory in the association’s electronic election.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Electoral Committee (ECNBA), Aham Ejelam (SAN), announced the results on Sunday at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja after the conclusion of the election, which experienced delays due to technical glitches and a cyber attack.

According to Ejelam, Badejo-Okusanya secured 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 per cent of the 26,106 valid votes cast, to emerge victorious over her closest rival, Lateef Akangbe (SAN), who garnered 7,934 votes or 30.39 per cent.

The third candidate in the presidential race, Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN), received 5,855 votes, representing 22.43 per cent of the total votes cast.

Ejelam said a total of 26,106 lawyers participated in the electronic election.

With her victory, Badejo-Okusanya will serve a two-year term as NBA president, from 2026 to 2028.

Her election makes her the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association.

Other elected national officers include Oghenero Okoro, who emerged First Vice-President with 11,024 votes; Afam Okeke, who was elected General Secretary with 8,478 votes; Aghogho Gladys, who won the position of Assistant General Secretary with 14,312 votes; and Chinelo Audrey Ofoegbunam, who emerged as Welfare Secretary with 14,911 votes.

Badejo-Okusanya was absent when the results were announced.

However, a member of her campaign team, Aminu Gadanya, SAN, attributed her absence to a flight delay and said the president-elect was committed to extending a “handshake of friendship” to all aggrieved candidates in the interest of unity.

An Election that Was Almost Sabotaged

Following the announcement of the results, outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the election withstood several attempts to disrupt the process, including a cyber attack that forced the Electoral Committee to rebuild and migrate its ICT infrastructure to a more secure server.

Osigwe said despite efforts to derail the exercise, the Electoral Committee remained resolute and ensured the election was concluded successfully.

“Some of our colleagues sought to frustrate this election, but we stood our ground. Every attempt to undermine the process failed. This has been a difficult period for the Bar, and in the lead-up to the election, there were deliberate efforts to discredit the association,” he said.

He congratulated the newly elected officers and urged them to govern inclusively, while encouraging unsuccessful candidates to rally behind the new leadership for the good of the association.

“A day will come when the story of how this election nearly suffered sabotage will be told.

“As lawyers, we have a duty to uphold the rule of law, and the Nigerian Bar Association must remain in control of its own electoral process. Where shortcomings existed, I am confident the incoming leadership will address them.

“Those who won should reach out to those who did not. We need a united Bar to move the association forward.

“The unity of the Bar is not negotiable. As I leave office, I wish the new executive every success,” he said.

Academic Journey

Long before she became one of Nigeria’s leading commercial lawyers, Badejo-Okusanya studied English.

She obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in English from the University of Lagos before returning to the institution to earn a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree.

She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002, marking the beginning of a legal career that has spanned more than two decades.

Career in Legal Practice

She began her legal career at Olaniwun Ajayi LP, one of Nigeria’s foremost commercial law firms, where she developed expertise in litigation and commercial law.

In 2007, she moved into public service after being appointed Senior Special Assistant on Justice Sector Reform to then Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola.

Working in the office of then Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olasupo Shasore (SAN), she contributed to justice sector reforms that reshaped legal administration in Lagos State.

In 2017, she co-founded Africa Law Practice NG & Company (ALP NG & Co.), where she currently serves as Co-Head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice. The firm has since established itself as one of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms with affiliations across Africa.

Elevation to the Rank of SAN

On September 29, 2025, Badejo-Okusanya was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), one of the highest distinctions in the country’s legal profession.

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The honour recognised her years of excellence in advocacy, litigation and legal practice.

A Long Record of Service Within the NBA

Badejo-Okusanya’s emergence did not happen overnight. She has spent years serving the association in various capacities.

Her previous roles include:

• Assistant Secretary, NBA Lagos Branch
• Delegate to the 2006 NBA elections
• Member, Future of the Legal Profession Committee
• Member, Conference Investigation Committee
• Alternate Chair, 2023 NBA Annual General Conference Planning Committee
• Chair, 2024 NBA Annual General Conference Planning Committee

She was also co-opted into the NBA National Executive Council in 2022 and received the NBA Presidential Medal of Service in August 2024 for her contributions to the association.

International Profile

Beyond Nigeria, Badejo-Okusanya is recognised for her work in arbitration and dispute resolution.

She belongs to several international professional bodies, including:

• London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
• International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA)
• International Bar Association (IBA)
• Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA)
• African Arbitration Association
• ArbitralWomen
• International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)
• African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), where she is a life member

She also serves on the Board of the Lagos Court of Arbitration (LCA).

What to Expect From Her Presidency

In her first statement after winning the election, Badejo-Okusanya outlined what lawyers should expect from her administration.

She promised to lead an inclusive NBA that reflects the interests of members across the country, describing her victory as a mandate to strengthen the association rather than a personal achievement.

“I am truly humbled by the confidence that members of the Nigerian Bar Association have reposed in me by electing me to serve as your President.”

“This victory is not mine alone; it belongs to every member who believed that our Association can be stronger, more inclusive, more responsive, and better positioned to serve the interests of all lawyers,” she added.

According to her, extensive consultations with lawyers across Nigeria during the campaign helped shape her agenda.

“Over the past months, I had the privilege of travelling across our nation, engaging with colleagues in every state of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

“I listened to your hopes, your concerns, your aspirations, and your ideas. Those conversations shaped this campaign, and they will continue to guide my leadership.”

She also called on members to put the election behind them and work together.

“The election is over. We are one Bar, united by a common commitment to the advancement of our profession and the defence of justice and the rule of law.”

Badejo-Okusanya pledged to run a transparent and accountable administration anchored on integrity, fairness and courage.

“I pledge to lead with integrity, courage, humility, fairness, and accountability. I will be a President for every member of the Nigerian Bar Association.”

She further identified lawyers’ welfare and professional development as major priorities.

“Together, we will build an Association where every lawyer has the opportunity to earn better, live better, and practise better. The work begins now.”

Her remarks suggest that her administration is likely to focus on improving lawyers’ welfare, expanding professional opportunities, strengthening the unity of the Bar, promoting ethical leadership, and reinforcing the NBA’s traditional role as a defender of the rule of law and judicial independence.

Why Her Election Matters

Badejo-Okusanya’s victory goes beyond breaking a gender barrier.

The NBA is one of Nigeria’s most influential professional associations, with thousands of members across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Its leadership often shapes national conversations on constitutional democracy, judicial reforms, the rule of law, human rights and legal education.

Her emergence comes at a time when lawyers are seeking stronger representation on issues affecting the profession, including remuneration, access to justice, judicial independence and continuing legal education.

Having spent over two decades in litigation, commercial law, arbitration and NBA leadership, expectations will be high for her administration to deliver on its promises of inclusiveness, accountability and improved welfare.

As Badejo-Okusanya prepares to succeed Afam Osigwe (SAN), she steps into office carrying both the weight of history and the expectations of thousands of lawyers and Nigerians. Becoming only the second woman to lead the NBA in 66 years is a milestone, but her legacy will ultimately be measured not by that achievement alone. It will depend on whether she can unite a divided Bar after a fiercely contested election, strengthen the legal profession, improve lawyers’ welfare, defend the rule of law and on how she can translates her promises into action.