History has been made.
With the election of Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has not merely elected its 33rd President. It has elected its first female president through a direct election by members, marking a defining moment in the Association’s history.
It is important to appreciate the distinction. Mrs. Priscilla Kuye remains the NBA’s first female president, having assumed office after the then President, Clement Akpamgbo, SAN, was appointed Attorney-General of the Federation during the military era. Mrs. Badejo-Okusanya, however, becomes the first woman to earn the presidency through the votes of her colleagues across the country. That achievement deserves its rightful place in history.
This is more than an electoral victory. It is the triumph of perseverance, competence, and the belief that leadership should always be determined by merit rather than gender.
For decades, the legal profession has produced brilliant women who have distinguished themselves on the Bench, at the Bar, in academia, and in public service. This election sends a powerful message to every young lawyer, especially every young girl who dreams of wearing the silk or leading institutions one day: there should be no ceiling on ambition.
Congratulations are therefore in order for the President-elect. May her tenure be defined by wisdom, courage, fairness, integrity, and the capacity to unite a profession that has become one of the strongest voices for democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria.
Yet, while history deserves celebration, it must also be accompanied by honest reflection.
The just-concluded election has generated criticism, with some lawyers questioning aspects of the electronic voting process and calling for a return to the delegate system or the introduction of physical voting.
Those concerns should neither be dismissed nor exaggerated. They should instead be carefully examined.
One fact, however, stands out. Since the introduction of universal electronic voting, participation in NBA presidential elections has expanded dramatically.
Under the delegate system in 2014, Augustine Alegeh, SAN, emerged president with 691 votes.
Thereafter, participation increased significantly:
– 2016: Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, SAN — 3,055 votes
– 2018: Paul Usoro, SAN — 4,509 votes
– 2020: Olumide Akpata — 9,891 votes
– 2022: Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, SAN — 22,342 votes
– 2024: Mazi Afam Josiah Osigwe, SAN — 20,435 votes
– 2026: Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN — 12,317 votes
The numbers tell an important story. Electronic voting has transformed NBA elections from a process decided by a relatively small number of delegates into one where thousands of lawyers can participate irrespective of where they practise. It has made the process broader, more representative, and more democratic.
Does that mean the system is perfect? Certainly not.
Every electoral system has vulnerabilities. The answer, however, is not necessarily to abandon a system that has expanded participation. Rather, the challenge before the NBA is to strengthen it—improving transparency, security, verification, and public confidence while ensuring that every legitimate vote counts and every member trusts the outcome.
Institutions grow by reforming, not retreating.
As the NBA turns this historic page, it has an opportunity to achieve two lasting victories: celebrating the emergence of its first elected female president while also committing itself to building an electoral process that commands even greater confidence from its members.
History has opened the door.
The responsibility now belongs to all members of the Bar to ensure that the next chapter is remembered not only for breaking barriers but also for strengthening democracy within one of Nigeria’s most influential professional bodies.
Congratulations once again to Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN. May your tenure justify the confidence reposed in you and leave the Nigerian Bar Association stronger, fairer, and even more united than you found it.
Gatekeepers News is not liable for opinions expressed in this article; they’re strictly the writer’s.
