By Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya

“Universal Suffrage in the NBA: Strengthening Democracy, Empowering Young Lawyers”

There was a time in the history of the Nigerian Bar Association when leadership was determined through a delegate system. Under that structure, only selected delegates from branches were eligible to vote in national elections. While it served its purpose in its era, it limited participation and concentrated decision-making in the hands of a few.

That changed during the administration of Augustine Alegeh, SAN, when the NBA boldly transitioned to a universal suffrage system. For the first time, every lawyer who had paid their practising fee for the election year became eligible to vote. That reform was not merely procedural; it was transformative.

Universal suffrage strengthened the democratic foundation of the NBA. It shifted the Association from a delegate-driven structure to a membership-driven institution. It widened participation. It deepened legitimacy. It ensured that leadership reflected the collective will of the Bar, not just a filtered segment of it.

Most importantly, it empowered young lawyers. Today, a young lawyer in Yola, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Enugu, Maiduguri, or Abuja has the same voting power as a Senior Advocate in Lagos or Kano. That is not symbolic. It is structural equality. It affirms that the NBA belongs to all of us across seniority, geography, and years of call.

This inclusiveness has reshaped electioneering within the Bar. Anyone seeking to lead the bar in any capacity must now engage broadly. Ideas must travel across branches. Consultations and engagements must speak to the realities of both senior and junior members. Leadership can no longer be built on narrow alliances; it must be built on broad trust.

It is precisely this inclusive and participatory system that emboldens me to confidently say that the Bar is my constituency. Not a region. Not a bloc. Not a caucus. The entire Bar. Yes alliances can be made, but the bar is my constituency, because under universal suffrage, every qualified lawyer has a voice, and every voice carries equal weight.

Universal suffrage has also encouraged accountability. When every paying member votes, every paying member matters. Policies must address welfare, professional development, remuneration, technology, and the future of practice because the electorate is diverse and informed.

Democracy within the Bar strengthens our moral authority in society. As lawyers, we advocate daily for constitutional governance, rule of law, and participatory democracy. We must therefore model those principles internally. We cannot demand inclusiveness nationally while practicing exclusivity within our Association.

The universal suffrage system has made the NBA more representative, more transparent, and more responsive. It has given young lawyers a voice in shaping the leadership that determines policy, welfare, and the future direction of the profession.

This reform must be protected. It must be strengthened. It must never be diluted. The NBA is strongest when every qualified lawyer has a voice. And when every voice counts, leadership becomes not just an office, but a true mandate.

THE BAR IS MY CONSTITUENCY!

Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN is a Partner in the law firm of ALP NG & Co.

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