Meet Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya: Only Second Woman to Lead NBA in 93 Years

• The Senior Advocate of Nigeria made history as only the second woman to lead the Nigerian Bar Association in its 93-year history, securing 12,317 votes in an election disrupted by a cyberattack

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has elected Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) , as its 33rd president, making her only the second woman to lead the association since its formation in 1933 . She polled 12,317 votes (47.18 per cent) to defeat fellow SANs Lateef Akangbe (7,934 votes) and Olumuyiwa Akinboro (5,855 votes) in an electronic election that was delayed by a cyberattack on the voting platform .

Here are seven key things to know about the incoming NBA president.

1. Academic Background

Badejo-Okusanya holds degrees in both English and Law from the University of Lagos . She earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English between 1983 and 1987 before returning to study Law, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) in 2000 . She later attended the Nigerian Law School, where she obtained her Barrister-at-Law (B.L.) qualification in 2002 .

2. Legal Career and SAN Rank

The Senior Advocate has built a legal career spanning more than two decades in litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) . She specialises in domestic and international dispute resolution and has represented both private and government clients in commercial matters before trial and appellate courts across Nigeria . She began her legal career at Olaniwun Ajayi LP, one of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms, and was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on September 29, 2025, one of the highest honours in the legal profession .

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3. Public Service in Lagos State

Before returning to private practice, Badejo-Okusanya served in the Lagos State Government. She was Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Justice Sector Reform and Policy between 2007 and 2011 before serving as General Counsel to the Governor from 2011 to 2015 . In July 2011, she was appointed General Counsel to the Governor of Lagos State and played a pivotal part in developing the landmark Lagos State Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (Lagos HOMS) under the Fashola administration . During her time in government, she worked on public-private partnerships, arbitration legislation, consumer protection and justice sector reforms .

4. Law Firm Leadership

Since May 2017, Badejo-Okusanya has been a founding partner at ALP NG & Co (Africa Law Practice NG & Company), where she serves as Co-Head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice . Her practice covers litigation, arbitration, mediation, public policy and government relations, and she is also recognised for her expertise in regulatory compliance and dispute resolution .

5. Arbitration and Professional Memberships

Badejo-Okusanya has played active roles in arbitration and legal organisations . She previously served on the Executive Committee of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Nigeria Branch, and currently serves on the Board of the Lagos Court of Arbitration . She is also a member of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration, ArbitralWomen, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, the International Bar Association, the London Court of International Arbitration, and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) .

6. Mediation and Dispute Resolution Expertise

An accredited Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) mediator, Badejo-Okusanya is recognised for her expertise in arbitration and ADR . She is frequently consulted on international arbitration matters and regulatory compliance, with experience across both domestic and international dispute resolution frameworks .

7. Historic Victory

With her victory, Badejo-Okusanya became the 33rd President of the NBA and only the second woman to lead the association, following Priscilla Kuye, who served as NBA president from 1991 to 1992 . She is also the first woman to be directly elected to the position, as Kuye had assumed office from the position of First Vice President when the then president was appointed Attorney-General of the Federation . She will serve a two-year term from 2026 to 2028 . In her victory statement, she pledged to “lead with integrity, courage, humility, fairness, and accountability” and promised to build “an NBA where lawyers can earn better, live better, and practise better” .

Meet Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya: Only Second Woman to Lead NBA in 93 Years

Akinboro Rejects NBA Poll, Alleges Name Alteration, OTP Failures

• Defeated presidential candidate rejects poll outcome, says his name was altered and photograph omitted from ballot; ECNBA blamed cyberattack for disruptions

A defeated presidential candidate in the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) election, Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN), has renewed his attack on the conduct of the poll, alleging that the exercise was riddled with irregularities that prevented him from effectively participating and undermined the credibility of the election. In a statement released after the conclusion of the election, Akinboro alleged that his name was altered on the presidential ballot from “Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro SAN” to “Aare Oluwatoyin Muyiwa Akinboro SAN,” describing the development as a grave error that compromised the integrity of the process. He further claimed that while the photograph of the eventual winner, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya (SAN) , appeared on the electronic ballot, the photographs of the other presidential candidates, including his own, were omitted. According to him, the voter authentication One-Time Password (OTP) was sent through email instead of registered phone numbers as stipulated in the election guidelines, raising questions about the competence of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) and its service providers.

“It therefore begs the question whether the above anomalies were also a part of the cyberattack rather than a clear demonstration of the incompetence and unpreparedness by both the Service Providers and the ECNBA,” Akinboro said. He further alleged that he was excluded from the presidential ballot because his correct name did not appear among the listed candidates. “I, Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, was inexplicably excluded from the ballot for the office of President as the names on the ballot for the said office were: Aare Oluwatoyin Muyiwa Akinboro SAN, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe SAN and Oyinkansola Badejo Okusanya SAN (Mrs. B),” he stated.

Akinboro also dismissed the ECNBA’s explanation that a cyberattack disrupted the voting platform, arguing that the reported technical failures pointed instead to poor preparation and incompetence. The ECNBA had earlier acknowledged that the electronic voting infrastructure was subjected to a “deliberate, coordinated and sustained cyberattack” shortly before voting was scheduled to commence at midnight on July 18, delaying the start of the exercise. The committee said its cybersecurity experts and the Election Voting Service Provider activated emergency measures to contain the attack and secure the platform. The system was eventually restored, and voting commenced at approximately 7:35 a.m. However, Akinboro alleged that the election platform failed to commence voting at the scheduled time despite the guidelines fixing the exercise to begin at midnight.

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According to him, the 2026 election was “built on a faulty foundation,” alleging unconstitutional appointments into the ECNBA, partisanship by the NBA leadership, and the selection of incompetent service providers. “It is no news that from the outset, the entire electoral process… was built on a faulty foundation,” he said, accusing the NBA leadership of deploying the association’s structures in favour of a preferred candidate. The senior advocate also claimed that he was unable to vote because he never received the authentication code required to access the voting portal, adding that “tens of thousands” of lawyers experienced similar problems. “Furthermore, I have participated in all the online National Officers election of the NBA but I must say that this election stands out as the most controversial,” he said.

Akinboro’s allegations were not isolated. Another presidential candidate, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe (SAN), also raised serious concerns about the electoral process. In a protest letter to the ECNBA, Akangbe demanded the immediate suspension of the election, alleging that the electronic voting portal had collapsed and that voters were receiving OTPs via email instead of SMS in violation of the committee’s revised guidelines. He also complained that the presidential ballot displayed the photograph of only one candidate while omitting others. “A flawed, rushed election carried out today under these chaotic conditions cannot yield a credible result,” Akangbe said in the protest letter. “Whoever is declared the winner of an election conducted on a collapsed portal, with breached authentication, and on a visually defective ballot, will not lead the Bar with the confidence of the profession.”

Akinboro further alleged that interventions by senior members of the legal profession to address the challenges and preserve the credibility of the election were resisted by individuals who allegedly benefited from the existing system. Despite the outcome, he thanked lawyers across the country who supported his candidacy, saying the campaign enabled him to interact with members and exposed what he described as deep-rooted problems within the association. He alleged that many lawyers were subjected to pressure and intimidation during the election period, insisting that his campaign was aimed at reforming the NBA’s electoral process and restoring internal democracy.

Despite the disruptions, the ECNBA proceeded with the exercise after extending the voting period. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya (SAN) was subsequently declared the winner of the presidential election, polling 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 per cent of the total votes cast. She defeated her closest challenger, Lateef Akangbe, SAN, who secured 7,934 votes (30.39 per cent), while Akinboro garnered 5,855 votes (22.43 per cent). With her victory, Badejo-Okusanya becomes the 33rd President of the NBA and only the second woman to lead the association since its formation in 1933, following Priscilla Kuye, who served from 1991 to 1992. The election recorded a turnout of 26,106 valid votes out of 82,172 registered voters, representing approximately 31.8 per cent participation. The ECNBA Chairman, Aham Ejelam, SAN, announced the final results at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja.

Akinboro Rejects NBA Poll, Alleges Name Alteration, OTP Failures

Police Arrest Four Suspected Terrorists in Imo, Recover Biafra Flags, Guns

• VCRU operatives raid Eziudo hideout, seize pump-action guns, live cartridges, recruitment forms, and group leaders’ photographs; five cultists also arrested in Owerri

The Nigeria Police Force has recorded a significant breakthrough in its fight against terrorism and violent crime in the South-East, with the arrest of four suspected terrorists during a targeted raid on a hideout in Eziudo, Ezinihite Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. The operation, conducted by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) , yielded a cache of weapons, military paraphernalia, and documents linking the suspects to multiple terrorist attacks across the state.

The operation, which took place on Saturday, represents a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist networks operating in the South-East region. During the raid, security personnel recovered an impressive cache of exhibits, including three pump-action guns, 30 live cartridges, Biafra flags, military and police uniforms, recruitment forms, charms, and photographs of purported leaders of the group. The recovery of these items suggests the suspects were operating as a structured organization with clear chains of command and a systematic recruitment process. According to the police daily report obtained by The Whistler on Sunday, the four suspects confessed during interrogation to actively recruiting new members into their network and participating in multiple terrorist attacks across Imo State. The suspects were apprehended during the raid against an alleged terrorist cell operating in the state. The Force said investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend other members of the network, adding that efforts have been intensified to dismantle the group’s operational structure and prevent further attacks. The suspects are currently in lawful custody as investigations continue.

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The operation highlights the effectiveness of the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) in tackling terrorism and violent crimes. The Imo State Police Command had in May 2026 disbanded its Anti-Kidnapping Unit (popularly known as Tiger Base), Scorpion Unit, and Lion Squad, replacing them with the VCRU as part of broader reforms aimed at improving operational efficiency, accountability, and professionalism in tactical policing nationwide. The VCRU, established on April 24, 2026, under the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, focuses on intelligence-driven operations targeting armed robberies, kidnappings, and violent crimes. Officers selected for the unit were carefully screened based on competence, discipline, integrity, and operational experience, and have undergone specialized training in tactical response, intelligence gathering, crisis management, and human rights compliance. The VCRU is also subject to a Civilian Oversight Board made up of representatives from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), civil society organizations, traditional institutions, religious bodies, and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), which monitors the unit’s activities, receives public complaints, and provides independent feedback.

In a separate operation, the Nigeria Police Force also arrested five suspected cultists at Bishop’s Court in Owerri, the Imo State capital, recovering firearms, ammunition, and other items allegedly linked to cult activities. Among those arrested was 23-year-old Opara Ikechi, alongside four other suspects. Police operatives recovered four firearms, including locally fabricated pistols, 31 rounds of live ammunition, a dagger, and a suspected confraternity scarf. According to the police, the arrests were part of ongoing efforts to curb cult-related violence and other criminal activities in the state. The State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Owerri has commenced investigations to determine the suspects’ involvement in cult-related crimes and identify other members of the group. The police added that the suspects would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The operations in Imo were part of a wider nationwide offensive by the Nigeria Police Force against terrorism, cultism, and violent crimes. In the last 24 hours, police operatives arrested suspects linked to terrorism, murder, cultism, armed robbery, and railway vandalism across multiple states, including Benue, Lagos, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, and the Federal Capital Territory. This follows coordinated nationwide security crackdowns that have resulted in the arrest of suspects and the rescue of kidnapped victims. The Force has urged residents to support security agencies with credible information to enhance crime-fighting efforts across the country.

Police Arrest Four Suspected Terrorists in Imo, Recover Biafra Flags, Guns