Some moments quietly redefine history. They do not arrive with fireworks or fanfare. Instead, they come with a simple announcement, a final vote count, and the realisation that a door closed for decades has finally been opened again. For thousands of women in Nigeria’s legal profession, July 2026 was one of those moments. After 34 years, another woman would lead the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), proving that persistence, preparation, and excellence can outlast even the longest-standing barriers.
That woman is Oyinkansola Badejo Okusanya, SAN, FCIArb.
Her election as the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association is more than a personal triumph. It marks the return of female leadership to one of Africa’s largest and most influential professional associations for the first time since Priscilla Kuye served as NBA President in 1992. Even more significantly, Badejo Okusanya became the first woman to be elected through the NBA’s direct universal suffrage system, making her victory a defining milestone in the history of Nigeria’s legal profession.
Running on her #BBOLD (A Bolder Bar That Works for Everyone) campaign, she secured a commanding victory with 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 percent of all valid ballots. Her election drew widespread commendation from across the country, including congratulations from President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, senior legal practitioners, and members of the Bar.
A Career Defined by Excellence
Long before making history, Oyinkansola Badejo Okusanya had built an impressive career grounded in legal excellence, public service, and institutional leadership.
She is the Founding Partner and Co-Head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice at Africa Law Practice NG & Co. (ALP NG & Co.), a firm she co-founded in 2017. Over the years, she has established herself as one of Nigeria’s leading practitioners in litigation, commercial arbitration, mediation, alternative dispute resolution, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, media and entertainment law, and public sector policy.
Her professional achievements reached another milestone in September 2025, when she was elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), one of the highest honours in the country’s legal profession.
She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (United Kingdom) and an accredited mediator with the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), reinforcing her reputation as an accomplished dispute resolution expert.
Shaping Justice Beyond the Courtroom
Badejo Okusanya’s impact extends beyond legal practice.
From 2007 to 2015, she served in the Lagos State Government under former Governor Babatunde Fashola, first as Senior Special Assistant on Justice Sector Reform and later as General Counsel to the Governor. During those eight years, she contributed to justice sector reforms, governance initiatives, policy development, and public private partnerships that strengthened institutional capacity within Lagos State.
These experiences equipped her with a practical understanding of governance and reform qualities that continue to shape her leadership philosophy.
She has also served as a Board Member of the Lagos Court of Arbitration since 2015 while remaining active in leading international legal organisations, including the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), ArbitralWomen, the International Bar Association (IBA), the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, and the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).
An Unconventional Academic Journey
One of the remarkable aspects of Badejo Okusanya’s story is that law was not her first academic pursuit.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English from the University of Lagos in 1987 before deciding to pursue a legal career. She later obtained her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the same university, attended the Nigerian Law School, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002.
Determined to broaden her expertise, she completed a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Commercial and Corporate Law at Queen Mary University of London, strengthening her credentials in commercial legal practice and dispute resolution.
Building a Bolder Bar
Throughout her campaign, Badejo Okusanya presented a vision centred on practical reforms rather than political slogans.
Her #BBOLD agenda focuses on improving lawyer welfare, increasing the earning capacity of young lawyers, reducing the cost of legal practice, strengthening continuing professional development, and accelerating the digital transformation of Nigeria’s justice system.
At its heart, the agenda seeks to create a Bar that is more inclusive, more innovative, and better equipped to meet the evolving demands of the legal profession.
Leadership Rooted in Service
Born on 15 January 1967, she comes from a family distinguished by service and academic excellence. She is the daughter of renowned academic Professor Folabi Olumide and former University of Lagos Registrar Mrs. Folasade Olumide. She is also the sister of Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
She is married to public relations executive Yomi Badejo Okusanya, and together they have a son. Beyond her professional responsibilities, she remains actively involved in her faith community as a chorister and steward at Emmanuel Chapel of the Methodist Church Nigeria in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Why Her Leadership Matters
Oyinkansola Badejo Okusanya’s election is about far more than breaking a record. It is a reminder that institutions become stronger when leadership reflects the diversity, talent, and aspirations of the people they serve.
For young women entering the legal profession, her journey demonstrates that leadership is earned through competence, integrity, and sustained commitment to service. For the Nigerian Bar Association, it represents an opportunity to pursue meaningful reforms under a leader whose experience spans private practice, arbitration, public policy, and institutional governance.
Amazons Watch Magazine proudly celebrates Oyinkansola Badejo Okusanya not simply because she made history, but because she embodies the kind of courageous, visionary leadership that inspires future generations to challenge convention, expand opportunity, and redefine what is possible. Sometimes, the most significant victories are not just the ones that change a career; they are the ones that change the course of an institution for decades to come.
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