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Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President-elect, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya (SAN), has pledged to lead with integrity, courage, humility, fairness, and accountability, and to unite the legal profession.
Badejo-Okusanya, who made history on Sunday as the second woman elected to lead the association, made the pledge in her first public statement following her victory in the NBA’s 2026 national election.
Addressing members of the association, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria thanked lawyers across the country for entrusting her with the leadership of the NBA and vowed to deliver on her campaign promise of creating “A Bolder Bar That Works for Everyone.”
“Today, I stand before you with a heart filled with profound gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility,” she said.
“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.”
“Thank you for believing in our shared vision of A BOLDER BAR THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE. 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.”
Calling for unity after a fiercely contested election, Badejo-Okusanya urged members to put the campaign behind them and work together to advance the legal profession.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to every member who participated in this election, regardless of the candidate you supported. 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,” she said.
She also congratulated her fellow contestants, saying, “I look forward to working with all of you as partners in building an NBA that reflects the very best of our profession.”
Reflecting on her nationwide campaign, Badejo-Okusanya said engagements with lawyers across Nigeria shaped her agenda for the association.
“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 said.
Looking ahead to her tenure, the President-elect promised a leadership focused on improving the welfare and professional lives of lawyers.
“Today marks not the end of a campaign, but the beginning of a new responsibility,” she said.
“I pledge to lead with integrity, courage, humility, fairness, and accountability. I will be the President for every member of the Nigerian Bar Association. Together, we will build an Association where every lawyer has the opportunity to earn better, live better, and practise better.
“The work begins now.”
Badejo-Okusanya was elected the NBA’s 33rd president after defeating two other Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe and Olumuyiwa Akinboro, in the association’s national election.
Her victory marks a watershed moment for the Nigerian Bar Association, making her the first woman to lead the country’s foremost body of legal practitioners since its establishment in 1899.
She succeeds Afam Osigwe (SAN), whose administration had defended the credibility of the election following pre-election concerns raised by some candidates and stakeholders over the voting process.
A BOLD MESSAGE OF GRATITUDE.
Today, I stand before you with a heart filled with profound gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility.
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.… pic.twitter.com/Ib91CQ0jYR
— Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, FCIArb (@MrsBBold) July 19, 2026
