The election of Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, as President of the Nigerian Bar Association has triggered fresh expectations for reforms that will strengthen the legal profession, improve lawyers’ welfare and restore public confidence in the justice system.
The NBA Lawyers in the Media Forum, while congratulating Badejo-Okusanya on her emergence as the 33rd president of the association, said her administration would assume office at a time when the legal profession faces critical questions over access to justice, the independence of the Bar and the welfare of practitioners.
In a congratulatory message signed by the forum’s Chairman, Ustadh Adam O. Adedimeji, the group expressed confidence in Badejo-Okusanya’s professional experience and capacity to steer the NBA through the challenges confronting the profession.
The forum said her record in public service, legal practice and arbitration had positioned her to provide strong leadership for the association.
Badejo-Okusanya previously served as General Counsel to the Lagos State Governor’s Office and Senior Special Assistant on Justice Sector Reform. She also chaired the NBA Annual General Conference Planning Committee.
The forum said these experiences, coupled with her status as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and arbitrator, would be valuable in addressing the institutional and professional challenges confronting the Bar.
It urged the incoming administration to make access to justice, protection of the independence of the Bar and the welfare of lawyers central to its agenda.
The group also called for efforts to deepen public trust in the legal system, stressing that the NBA’s responsibility extends beyond the interests of its members to the wider administration of justice and defence of constitutional democracy.
“Under your leadership, the NBA will be repositioned for greater impact: in advancing access to justice, protecting the independence of the Bar, promoting the welfare of members and deepening public trust in the legal system,” the forum said.
While describing Badejo-Okusanya’s election as historic, the forum said the significance of her emergence went beyond gender representation.
Her election makes her the first woman to be elected president of the NBA and only the second woman to lead the association in its 93-year history.
The forum said the development had raised the bar for inclusive leadership within the profession and demonstrated the growing role of women in the leadership of Nigeria’s legal institutions.
It pledged its support for the new administration and expressed hope that Badejo-Okusanya would use her tenure to build a stronger, more inclusive and respected Bar.
The forum also prayed for wisdom and courage for the new NBA president, saying her success would ultimately be measured by the strength of the institution she hands over at the end of her tenure.