Her victory has been widely celebrated within the legal community as a historic milestone, making her the first woman to be directly elected by
By Mmesoma Onwuka
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Kemi Pinheiro, has urged the President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, to make unity and reconciliation the cornerstone of her administration as she prepares to assume office.
Pinheiro made the appeal while congratulating Badejo-Okusanya on her victory in the just-concluded NBA national election, describing her emergence as a landmark achievement for the legal profession and expressing confidence in her capacity to provide purposeful and inclusive leadership.
In a statement, the senior lawyer said the association was currently grappling with divisions driven by generational, ideological and personal differences, stressing that rebuilding trust and fostering cohesion among members should be a top priority for the incoming leadership.
According to him, a united Bar would be better positioned to uphold the rule of law, safeguard the welfare and professional interests of lawyers, and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Badejo-Okusanya won the NBA presidential election with 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 per cent of the total valid votes cast. She defeated fellow Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Lateef Akangbe and Olumuyiwa Akinboro, to emerge as the association’s next president.
Her victory has been widely celebrated within the legal community as a historic milestone, making her the first woman to be directly elected by members of the Nigerian Bar Association to lead the association.
Legal practitioners and stakeholders have welcomed her emergence, expressing optimism that her administration will strengthen the NBA, deepen members’ confidence in the association and promote greater unity across the legal profession.
Pinheiro also pledged his support to the President-elect, expressing optimism that her tenure would usher in a more cohesive, inclusive and forward-looking Nigerian Bar Association committed to advancing justice, defending the rule of law and promoting good governance.
Badejo-Okusanya is expected to be sworn in during the Nigerian Bar Association’s Annual General Conference scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt later this year.