Once again, we say THANK YOU to Prof. Foluke Dada-Lawanson!
The biggest takeaway from Maiduguri NEC was not water, no matter how one looks at it. Water is life, and in Maiduguri’s weather, an extra bottle to quench one’s thirst is certainly welcome, no matter who provides it.
But the true headline from Maiduguri was Prof. Foluke Dada-Lawanson.
During the dinner and in her subsequent statement, she demonstrated something increasingly rare, the courage to reflect, reassess, and recalibrate. She showed what it truly means to make BOLD decisions, regardless of how they may be perceived.
When news broke in December 2025 that Prof. Dada-Lawanson had stepped down for Aare Muyiwa Akinboro, SAN, at the Egbe Amofin Women’s Summit in Ibadan, believing at the time that it would serve a broader purpose, we thanked her, albeit tongue in cheek, for clarifying Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya’s path to leadership by leaving her the only woman in the race.
Last Friday in Maiduguri, something even more powerful happened. We witnessed leadership in its truest form.
After careful reflection, Prof. Foluke Dada-Lawanson publicly acknowledged her error. It takes rare courage and uncommon integrity to admit a mistake openly. She knew her decision might attract criticism, yet she chose principle over politics.
She BOLDLY declared:
“I have realised that a unity built on the exclusion of competent female leadership is a compromise I can no longer sustain.”
She further affirmed:
“No single caucus or power bloc holds exclusive ownership of our Yoruba identity or our regional aspirations.
Mrs. Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, is a distinguished daughter of the South West. Her success is not a threat to our regional interests; it is the ultimate realization of them.
A victory for her is a victory for the South West and a testament to our region’s capacity to produce the very best.”
This is leadership.
This is courage.
This is inclusion in action.
Leadership often demands the humility to evolve when reflection reveals a wiser course. Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN exemplifies the region’s enduring capacity to produce excellence.
Through it all, she remained measured and dignified, choosing restraint over bickering and substance over spectacle and consistently advancing her vision with clarity and quiet resolve.
She did not descend into recrimination or personalise differences. She continued to engage thoughtfully, build bridges quietly, and present her vision with clarity.
Leadership is not always loud. Sometimes it is patient. Sometimes it is strategic. Sometimes it is consistent.
What we witnessed in Maiduguri was alignment around inclusion, merit, and the conviction that the Nigerian Bar Association is strongest when competence is not sidelined for convenience.
We commend Prof. Foluke Dada-Lawanson for her courage.
We commend Mrs Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, for her composure.
Thank you, Prof. Foluke Dada-Lawanson, for speaking the message for this season.
Thank you for demonstrating the humility to course-correct.
Thank you for showing that unity must never be built on exclusion.
Thank you.
We are proud of you.
And whatever criticism may come our way, we stand with you.
You have shown what it means to be truly BOLD.
Thank you.
Signed:
Mrs. Amaka Ezeno, Former Chair, NBA Awka Branch
Mrs. Gloria Etim – Former Chair, NBA Eket Branch
Ms. Aisha Ado Abdullahi, Former NBA National Treasurer
Dr. Adesola Falaiye, Member, NBA Lagos Branch
Princess Demilade Douglas, Member, NBA Lagos Branch
Read More:
Exclusive: A Statement of Principle and Recommitment to the Nigerian Bar Association By Professor Foluke Dada
