Felix Onyeka

Badejo-Okusanya has been sworn in as the 33rd president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),while she pledged to make her tenure a remarkable one.

She made history on July 19 with the record as the  first woman to be elected president of the NBA.

She was the second female to lead the association after Priscilla Kuye, who served as president from 1991 to 1992.

She was sworn in at a ceremony in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, on Friday, August 28,after taking the oath of office administered by her predecessor, Afam Osigwe.

In her remarks after swearing-in, she said her administration would be guided by the principle of “members first, always”.

Badejo-Okusanya said she did not seek the position merely to make history but to create a meaningful impact on the legal profession.

“I did not seek this office simply to make history. I sought it to make a difference,” she said.

“This mandate is not a prize to be possessed but a trust to be discharged.”

Badejo-Okusanya also appealed for unity within the association, saying her administration would represent all lawyers regardless of who they supported during the election.

“I will be President not only of those who voted for me but of every member of the Nigerian Bar Association. The Bar remains my constituency,” she said.

“There are no victims and no vanquished in the NBA. There is only one Bar, one profession, and one shared responsibility to leave the Bar stronger than we met it.”

The NBA president identified the economic welfare of lawyers, particularly young practitioners, as a major priority of her administration.

She said the association would pursue a framework for fair remuneration and engage the attorney-general of the federation on compliance with the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order.

“The NBA must take responsibility for pushing the message that the Remuneration Order must be complied with. Our members deserve fair compensation for their work,” she said.

Badejo-Okusanya also announced plans for a highly subsidised access to electronic law reports and the revival of the NBA affinity card, which she said would provide members with discounts on services including airlines, hotels, supermarkets and pharmacies.

She pledged to modernise the NBA national secretariat and use technology to make membership processes easier.

“Technology must simplify membership, not frustrate it,” she said.

The new NBA president said her administration would also equip lawyers for emerging areas of practice, including artificial intelligence, digital commerce, data protection, energy transition, and cross-border legal services.

Badejo-Okusanya said her emergence should open doors for others whose competence or aspirations may have been overlooked.

“By the grace of God, I will not be the last woman to occupy this office,” she said.

She also paid tribute to Osigwe and past NBA administrations for their contributions to the development of the association.

The senior advocate said her administration would ultimately be judged by its results.

“We will build a bolder Bar that helps lawyers earn better, live better, and practise better,” she said.