The Nigerian Bar Association is on the cusp of history as momentum builds around Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, who has emerged as a leading contender and widely endorsed candidate for the office of NBA National President in the 2026 elections.While the final declaration awaits the conclusion of the electoral process, the groundswell of support from senior legal minds, young lawyers, and public figures has positioned Badejo-Okusanya at the center of national conversation about the future direction of Africa’s largest bar association.
A Career Built on Law, Reform and Service
Badejo-Okusanya brings over two decades of experience across private practice and public service. She is a Senior Partner at ALP NG & Co. and Co-Head of its Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice. Her credentials include being a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a CEDR Accredited Mediator, and she was conferred with the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2025.
Before law, she worked as a Human Resources professional in the oil industry and later as Practice Manager at Aluko & Oyebode. Her public service record is equally notable. In July 2011 she was appointed General Counsel to the Governor of Lagos State, where she contributed to significant legal and institutional reforms and played a pivotal role in developing the landmark Lagos State Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme under the Fashola administration.
Within the NBA, she has already held key leadership responsibilities, including serving as Chairperson of the NBA 2024 Annual General Conference Planning Committee and as a Board Member of the Lagos Court of Arbitration.
The Vision: A Bar That Works For Every Lawyer
Speaking during the NBA Presidential Candidates’ Debate, Badejo-Okusanya framed her campaign around five pillars: helping lawyers earn better through stronger advocacy for living wages, creating opportunities for all lawyers to thrive, ensuring members are protected and respected, delivering services through a responsive and technology-driven secretariat, and building a bolder bar that puts members first.
She has consistently centered her message on professional ethics, arbitration, governance, and improving conditions for young lawyers.
“A year ago, very few people believed I’ll be standing on this stage. Today, as one of the final candidates for the presidency of our great association… This campaign has never really been about me. It has been about every lawyer that has ever been told that your turn will never come. Every young lawyer who ever wondered, ‘Do they even see me?’” she told delegates.
Her closing words captured the stakes: “I didn’t come this far simply to inspire. I came to serve. And it would be the greatest honour of my professional life to go to bed on the 18th of July and wake up on Sunday as your 33rd president of the Nigerian Bar Association”.
Broad-Based Endorsements Across the Profession
The campaign has drawn high-profile endorsements. Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, described her as “a competent and principled leader with the vision required to reposition the legal profession”. On her verified X handle, Ezekwesili wrote: “I am delighted to see that the brilliant and amazing Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, is running for NBA President” and noted that “NBA surely needs her”.
The Progressive Young Lawyers Network also formally endorsed her as its preferred candidate, citing “exceptional leadership throughout her career” and her sustained commitment to the development of young lawyers. The group highlighted her participation in forums like the NBA Ikeja Branch Young Lawyers’ Forum Legal Summit on May 22, 2026 and the NBA Degema Branch Young Lawyers’ Forum Annual Symposium as evidence of her dedication to mentorship and innovation.
Other voices have framed her candidacy as historic. Legal practitioner Douglas Ogbankwa argued that the 2026 election presents “a defining moment for the largest Bar association in Africa” and called for “a feminine touch” in the leadership of the Bar, noting that women have had limited opportunity to lead the association at the national level.
Pastor Paul Adefarasin also declared support, describing her as “a woman of proven integrity, professionalism and commitment to national development”.
Background and Education
Born on January 15, 1967, Badejo-Okusanya attended University of Lagos Staff School and Federal Government College, Jos. She earned a B.A. Hons in English from the University of Lagos in 1987 and later obtained her Law degree from the same institution in 2000. She was called to the Nigerian Bar on May 14, 2002.
She is also an active member of FIDA Nigeria and has championed access to justice, women’s leadership, and the integration of technology in legal practice.
What This Means for the NBA
The race for NBA President features three Senior Advocates: Chief Olumuyiwa Akinboro, Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, and Mr. Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe. As the association prepares for a change of baton in July 2026, Badejo-Okusanya’s campaign has focused on institutional strength and transformational leadership.
“At a time when the Nigerian Bar Association requires transformational leadership, institutional strength, and a clear vision for the future, we are confident that Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya possesses the experience, competence, courage, and capacity to lead the Association into a new era of progress,” the Progressive Young Lawyers Network stated.
With her blend of private practice excellence, government reform experience, and grassroots engagement with young lawyers, her candidacy represents both continuity and change for the NBA. Whether it is advocating for better welfare, stronger ethics, or a more inclusive bar, the conversation around her leadership is already reshaping expectations for what the next NBA presidency can deliver.
As the election draws closer, all eyes remain on the Bar to see if it will elect its 33rd president and usher in what many supporters describe as a new chapter for Nigerian law.
