The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) on Friday swore in Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, as its 33rd president and the second woman to lead the professional body.
Badejo-Okusanya took the oath of office and allegiance at the NBA’s 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, succeeding Mazi Adam Osigwe, SAN, whose two-year tenure has ended.
In her inaugural address, the new NBA president said she accepted the responsibility with humility and pledged to serve the entire association with diligence and integrity.
She commended her predecessor for laying what she described as a solid foundation for the incoming administration, while stressing that her loyalty would be to the entire NBA and not only those who supported her during the election.
Badejo-Okusanya also called for a shift away from gender considerations in determining who leads the association, expressing optimism that another woman would not have to wait too long before emerging as NBA president.
She said the strength of the Bar must not only be felt in the corridors of power but also among lawyers and ordinary Nigerians.
The new NBA helmswoman pledged to build an association that every lawyer would be proud of, promising to pursue the implementation of fair remuneration for legal practitioners.
She also promised to prioritise members’ professional development by expanding access to training and exposing lawyers to emerging technologies, particularly the rapidly evolving Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem.
Badejo-Okusanya said the welfare of legal practitioners would remain a major priority of her administration, while transparency and accountability would guide the management of the association.
She maintained that members had the right to know how their dues and other funds were being spent, urging them to hold the leadership accountable through constructive criticism.
The NBA president also condemned unhealthy practices associated with electoral processes within the association and called on members to work towards improving the credibility of future elections.
She further stressed the need for Nigeria to have a responsible and independent Bar, assuring that the NBA under her leadership would defend judicial independence and resist any attempt by individuals or groups, regardless of their status, to control or manipulate the association.
“Our loyalty is to justice, the rule of law and the citizens,” she declared, stressing that the NBA would remain apolitical and would not be influenced by any individual or group.
Osigwe hands over, charges successor
The immediate past president, Mazi Adam Osigwe, SAN, in his valedictory address, charged Badejo-Okusanya to remain focused and determined in the face of the challenges associated with leading the NBA.
Osigwe urged her to remain steadfast and effectively steer the affairs of the association, reminding her that the office comes with significant responsibilities.
He noted that members did not elect a woman simply because of her gender, but elected an individual they believed possessed the capacity to lead the NBA.
The former president commended the officials who served alongside him, attributing the achievements recorded during his tenure to the cooperation and support he received from them.
He appealed to NBA members to support the new administration and contribute positively to its success through constructive criticism.
Osigwe also urged members not to engage in actions capable of undermining the association, stressing the need for unity as the NBA begins a new chapter under its first female president since the association’s previous female leadership.
