By Ephraim Emmanuel
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has been officially sworn in as the 33rd National President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), succeeding Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN.
The inauguration ceremony took place in Port Harcourt at the official handover and closing ceremony of the 66th NBA Annual General Conference. With her swearing-in, Badejo-Okusanya becomes the second female president in the association’s history and the first elected female president in 35 years.
In her inaugural address, the newly sworn-in president promised systemic reforms, member-first welfare policies, judicial accountability, and economic empowerment for legal practitioners across the country.
“Our commitment will be transformed into timelines, responsible teams, and measurable outcomes,” Badejo-Okusanya stated. “Where we succeed, the credit goes to the Bar, and where we fall short, the blame will be mine.”
Addressing lingering election controversies, Badejo-Okusanya dismissed claims of outcome manipulation while acknowledging that technological glitches prevented some members from voting. She attributed her victory to extensive national campaigning and hard work, pledging to run an inclusive administration that unifies the legal profession.
Earlier, outgoing President Afam Osigwe, SAN, formally handed over leadership and urged the Bar to rally behind his successor.
“She won on her merit; she just happens to be a woman,” Osigwe noted, charging her to build a “bolder Bar” capable of addressing the complex challenges facing the legal sector.
The high-profile event drew senior advocates, members of the judiciary, former NBA presidents—including O.C.J. Okocha, SAN, and Okey Wali, SAN—as well as bar leaders from Ghana and Uganda.
Meanwhile, the NBA leadership announced Abuja as the official host city for the 2027 NBA Annual General Conference.
