Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has thrown her support behind Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, in the race for the presidency of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
In a statement released in Abuja on Sunday, Ezekwesili described Badejo-Okusanya as a principled, competent and visionary leader capable of strengthening the legal profession and promoting ethical standards within the Bar.
According to the former minister, Badejo-Okusanya’s track record in legal practice, arbitration, governance and advocacy for the welfare of young lawyers makes her well-suited to lead the association at a crucial time.
Ezekwesili praised the senior lawyer’s commitment to professionalism and integrity, saying her focus on ethical legal practice and institutional reforms reflects the values the NBA requires.
The endorsement adds to the growing support for Badejo-Okusanya’s candidacy ahead of the NBA presidential election. Earlier, the Founder and Senior Pastor of House on the Rock, Paul Adefarasin, also endorsed her, describing her as a lawyer of proven integrity, excellence and dedication to national development.
Adefarasin said he had known Badejo-Okusanya and her family for many years and commended her strong character, professionalism and belief in justice as a foundation for peace and national progress.
Born on January 15, 1967, Badejo-Okusanya has built a distinguished career spanning public service and private legal practice. She attended the University of Lagos Staff School and Federal Government College, Jos, before earning a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Lagos in 1987. She later obtained a law degree from the same institution and was called to the Nigerian Bar on May 14, 2002.
She served as General Counsel to the Governor of Lagos State from 2011, where she contributed to the development of the Lagos State Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (Lagos HOMS) during the administration of former Governor Babatunde Fashola. She returned to private practice in 2015 and was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2025.
If elected, Badejo-Okusanya would become the first woman to serve as President of the Nigerian Bar Association, marking a historic milestone for the legal profession. Her election would also continue a family tradition of breaking barriers, as her mother was the first female Registrar of the University of Lagos.
