Key points
- NBA President-elect Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya has pledged to unite the legal profession and heal divisions within the association.
- She said stakeholder engagement and reconciliation would be her immediate priorities before assuming office at the end of August.
- Badejo-Okusanya met President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, where they discussed the NBA’s electronic voting process and technological reforms.
- The president-elect promised an inclusive administration focused on restoring confidence and strengthening the association.
- She will become the first woman to lead the Nigerian Bar Association when she is sworn in later this year.
Main Story
The President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has pledged to unite members of the legal profession and address divisions within the association as she prepares to assume office at the end of August.
Badejo-Okusanya made the commitment on Tuesday after a courtesy visit to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where she outlined her plans for reconciliation, institutional cohesion and improved stakeholder engagement.
She said her immediate priority before her inauguration would be to consult widely with members and key stakeholders to foster unity, address grievances and strengthen confidence in the association.
According to her, the incoming administration will be inclusive and committed to ensuring that every segment of the Bar is carried along in decision-making and professional development.
The NBA president-elect said rebuilding internal unity remains critical to enabling the association to effectively discharge its responsibilities to the legal profession and the wider society.
She also disclosed that President Tinubu congratulated her on her historic election as the first female president-elect of the association and expressed interest in the NBA’s electoral process, particularly the deployment of electronic voting technology.
Badejo-Okusanya said discussions with the President focused on the challenges experienced during the association’s electronic voting exercise and possible measures to improve future elections through stronger technological systems and continuous reforms.
She described the engagement as encouraging, noting that both sides shared a commitment to strengthening transparency and efficiency in the association’s electoral processes.
Badejo-Okusanya is expected to be formally sworn in as President of the Nigerian Bar Association during the association’s Annual General Conference at the end of August.
The Issues
The NBA has faced internal disagreements in recent years over governance, elections and institutional direction. Rebuilding trust among members, improving electoral transparency and strengthening unity within the association will be crucial to sustaining its role as the voice of Nigeria’s legal profession and an advocate for the rule of law.
What’s Being Said
NBA President-elect, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya:
“My swearing-in is not until the end of August. In the meantime, I continue to reach out to members, to stakeholders, so that we can work together to improve things, to heal the hurt anyone has, and to just continue to ensure that we do things to make sure that the NBA continues to fulfill its role to society.”
She added:
“Everything that needs to be done, I can assure members and the public that I will do. We’ll make sure that we unite ourselves. We’ll make sure that we put our house in order.”
On her meeting with President Tinubu, she said:
“He congratulated me on the victory. We talked about the challenges of electronic voting and technology, and we spoke about the ways in which we can continue to improve on our processes. It was very encouraging.”
What’s Next
Badejo-Okusanya will continue consultations with NBA members and stakeholders ahead of her inauguration at the end of August. Her administration is expected to prioritise reconciliation, institutional reforms and improvements to the association’s electoral processes while advancing the NBA’s role in promoting the rule of law and professional excellence.
Bottom Line
As Nigeria’s first female NBA president-elect, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya is placing unity, reconciliation and institutional reform at the centre of her agenda. Her ability to bridge internal divisions and strengthen confidence in the association will be closely watched as she prepares to assume office.
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