Badejo-Okunsanya’s NBA presidency historic, says Akinyede

…Says female heads of Bench and Bar have two years to restore confidence in judiciary

By John Alechenu

ABUJA — Former Senator representing Ekiti South, Akinyede Sola, has described the election of Oyinlasola Badejo-Okunsanya, SAN, as President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) as a historic development for the legal profession and Nigeria’s judiciary.

Akinyede, who spoke in Abuja on Sunday while reacting to the outcome of the NBA election, said Badejo-Okunsanya’s emergence as the second female President of the association marked a significant milestone in the history of the legal profession.

He noted that it was the first time women would simultaneously occupy the leadership positions of both the Bench and the Bar, with a female Chief Justice of Nigeria and a female NBA President.

“This is a historic victory. For the first time, we have two women heading the Bench and the Bar. They now have a two-year window to repair and restructure our badly dented judiciary and legal system,” he said.

The former lawmaker, who represented Ekiti South in the Senate from 2007 to 2011, said public confidence in the judiciary had declined over the years, stressing the need for urgent reforms.

Akinyede expressed optimism that Badejo-Okunsanya, in collaboration with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, would use the opportunity to promote reforms that would strengthen the justice system.

“As women whom nature has endowed as nurturers, I pray they show the courage to leave a legacy of boldness and integrity,” he said.

He urged the new leadership of the NBA and the judiciary to focus on issues that directly affect Nigerians, including speedy dispensation of justice, judicial independence and discipline within the legal profession.

Akinyede cautioned against allowing the moment to be consumed by politics or rhetoric, stressing that the new leaders had a rare opportunity to reshape public perception of the judiciary.

“This is their time. If they get it right, they will change the way people see the judiciary for years to come,” he said.

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