By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
The 2026 national officers’ election of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has remained a talking point, driven by a series of historical parallels and precedents that have evoked mixed reactions among legal practitioners across the country.
A major highlight of the election was the victory of the only female candidate in the three-horse presidential race, Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, who has made history as only the second woman to lead the NBA since its formation in 1933 — replicating a feat last achieved 34 years ago.
Barring any setback, she is scheduled to be sworn in on August 21, 2026, as the 33rd President of the NBA, which prides itself on being the biggest association of lawyers in Africa.
Mrs. Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, clinched the NBA’s top job after defeating her closest challenger, Mr. Lateef Akangbe, SAN, who garnered 7,934 votes, representing 30.39 percent of the total votes cast in the election, which was conducted electronically between 12 a.m. on Saturday and 7 a.m. on Sunday.
