First Lady Urges Women to Lift One Another as She Hosts NBA President-Elect

First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has called on women to support one another in order to break barriers and attain greater representation in leadership positions.

Tinubu made the call on Tuesday while receiving the President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya (SAN), and her delegation at her office in Abuja, according to a statement issued by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi.

The First Lady described Badejo-Okusanya’s emergence as NBA president-elect as a landmark achievement for women, saying her victory sends a strong message that women can attain leadership positions through dedication, unity and mutual support.

READ ALSO: NBA Will Remain Watchdog On Governance Despite Election Controversy – Oyinkansola Badejo-Olusanya

“You should set the bar and make room for other women coming behind you. This victory means a lot for women in general,” Tinubu said.

She noted that women are increasingly occupying strategic positions within Nigeria’s judiciary and legal profession.

“I just shared with my last guest that in the judiciary now, women are holding sway. The Chief Judge is a woman, the President of the Court of Appeal is a woman and now you are the President-elect of the NBA. Women are achieving a lot,” she added.

The First Lady said Badejo-Okusanya’s visit would remain memorable, expressing confidence that she would have a successful tenure as head of the legal body.

“This is a visit that would be remembered by my office for a long time to come. I can only pray for you and wish you a successful tenure,” she said.

Tinubu also commended Prof. Foluke Dada-Lawanson, who had initially contested for the NBA presidency but later stepped down in support of Badejo-Okusanya, describing the move as an uncommon display of sportsmanship.

Earlier, the NBA President-elect praised the First Lady for her interventions through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), particularly its support for vulnerable Nigerians.

“Your job with the RHI in addition to being the First Lady looks like a full-time job. You have set an example for others to emulate. We thank you for all that you have been doing. These are so much,” Badejo-Okusanya said.

She also assured Tinubu of the NBA’s willingness to collaborate with the Renewed Hope Initiative by providing pro bono legal services for vulnerable members of society.

According to Badejo-Okusanya, the visit was to share the joy of her election victory with the First Lady and appreciate her support for women’s advancement.

Badejo-Okusanya was elected on July 19, 2026, as the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association, becoming the first woman to be directly elected and only the second female president in the association’s history.