I extend warm greetings to the Egbe Amofin O’odua on the occasion of its Quarterly Meeting holding in Ado Ekiti from 27 to 28 March 2026.
This meeting could not have come at a more auspicious time, a time that, in my humble view, calls for sincere and honest reflection, open dialogue, and a recommitment to the values that define the Egbe Amofin O’odua.
In that spirit, I would like to express my goodwill towards the Egbe by respectfully acknowledging the resolution reached by the leaders at the last Annual General Meeting held in Abeokuta in August 2025.
In the communiqué issued after the meeting the Egbe resolved that “upon admonition of several distinguished members and leaders of the Egbe that the other aspirants namely Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, SAN, Prof. Foluke Dada and Mrs. Oyinkan Badejo Okusanya, should in view of the report of the Committee consider withdrawing from the race TO ENHANCE THE CHANCES OF THE SOUTHWEST IN THE FORTHCOMING NBA ELECTION…..”
By a stroke of good fortune, barely two weeks later, the Midwest Bar announced at the Pre AGC NEC meeting of 23 August 2025 that it would yield the 2026 presidency slot to the South West sub-zone, having produced the president in 2020. The Midwest Bar therefore directed its members to step down their aspiration.
This happily brings to a rest the issue of any of the aspirants from the South West withdrawing from the race, since it is now certain that the South West will produce the next president of the NBA regardless of which of the aspirants emerges.
This is a win for the the Egbe Amofin and I congratulate the Egbe for it. As we have all been taught by our forbears – “a kin fi omo kan ju omo kan lo” which literally translates to: “a parent should not show love to one child more than another.”
Indeed, with all the aspirants now from the South West ONLY, there is no longer any basis for the Egbe to endorse any one of us or advise anyone of us to consider withdrawing from the race. We are all your “children” in whom you are well pleased and any one of us will do Egbe and the South West proud.
I wish the Egbe fruitful and reflective deliberations and I look forward to joining you in person at the next Quarterly meeting. Kindly accept my sincere apologies for my absence and please convey my best wishes to our great members who I hold in high esteem.
Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN FCIArb
Partner, ALP NG & Co.
Kindly Read the full address.
