Kuye or Badejo-Okusanya: Who Owns the Title of NBA’s First Female President?
By Matthew Eloyi
The election of Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, as President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has sparked one of the most fascinating historical debates within Nigeria’s legal profession.
Within hours of the announcement of her victory in the July 2026 NBA elections, congratulatory messages flooded social media, with many describing her as the “first female President of the Nigerian Bar Association.”
Almost immediately, others pushed back. They pointed to Dame Priscilla Kuye, who led the NBA in 1991, insisting that history should not be rewritten.
So, who is actually the NBA’s first female president? The answer depends on what question is being asked.
The Historical Record
There is one fact that is beyond dispute.
Dame Priscilla Kuye was the first woman ever to occupy the office of President of the Nigerian Bar Association.
In 1991, she became NBA President after the then President, Chief Clement Akpamgbo, left office following his appointment as Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. As the association’s First Vice-President, Kuye assumed the presidency and completed the remainder of the tenure.
From that day onward, history recognised her as the first woman to lead the Nigerian Bar Association.
That fact has been acknowledged by the NBA itself over the years and forms part of the association’s institutional history.
Then Came 2026
Thirty-five years later, another chapter was written.
Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, contested the NBA presidential election against two male Senior Advocates of Nigeria and emerged victorious after lawyers across the country cast their votes.
Unlike Kuye, she did not assume office because of a vacancy. She sought the mandate directly from NBA members and won through a competitive nationwide election.
That achievement is unprecedented. It makes her the first woman to be directly elected President of the Nigerian Bar Association.
The distinction may appear subtle, but in constitutional and democratic practice, it is significant.
Occupying Office Versus Winning Office
The debate mirrors similar discussions that have occurred around the world.
In parliamentary systems and corporate organisations, individuals sometimes become leaders by succession when the incumbent resigns, dies or vacates office.
Others attain the same office after winning an election.
Both legitimately become office holders.
However, history often distinguishes between the first person to occupy an office and the first person elected to it.
Applying that distinction to the NBA means both women made history, but for different reasons.
Dame Priscilla Kuye was the first woman to become President of the Nigerian Bar Association.
Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya is the first woman elected by NBA members nationwide to become President of the association.
Neither achievement diminishes the other. Instead, each represents a different milestone in the NBA’s evolution.
Why the Confusion?
Much of the controversy stems from the way congratulatory messages have been worded.
Several individuals, organisations and social media users simply referred to Badejo-Okusanya as the “first female NBA President,” omitting the crucial phrase “directly elected.”
That omission unintentionally erased Kuye’s place in history and prompted immediate corrections from senior lawyers, legal historians and those familiar with the NBA’s leadership chronology.
Conversely, others argued that Badejo-Okusanya’s supporters were merely highlighting the unique nature of her electoral victory rather than denying Kuye’s contribution.
In reality, both positions can be reconciled by accurately describing each woman’s achievement.
Why Words Matter
Professional bodies rely on institutional memory.
Titles such as “first president,” “first elected president,” “acting president” or “substantive president” carry specific historical meanings.
Precision protects history.
Calling Badejo-Okusanya the first female NBA President ignores the historical fact that Dame Priscilla Kuye occupied the office in 1991.
On the other hand, saying Kuye was the first woman to lead the NBA does not diminish Badejo-Okusanya’s groundbreaking accomplishment as the first woman to secure the office through a direct electoral mandate.
History is broad enough to accommodate both truths.
Two Women, Two Historic Milestones
Rather than competing claims, the stories of Dame Priscilla Kuye and Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya represent two defining moments separated by more than three decades.
Kuye proved that a woman could occupy the highest office in the Nigerian Bar Association.
Badejo-Okusanya proved that a woman could campaign for that office, convince lawyers across Nigeria to entrust her with their votes and emerge victorious in a fiercely contested national election.
One broke the barrier of accession. The other broke the barrier of electoral victory.
Together, they tell the story of an institution that has gradually expanded opportunities for women at its highest level.
So, Who Is the First?
If the question is, “Who was the first woman to serve as President of the Nigerian Bar Association?” the answer is Dame Priscilla Kuye.
If the question is, “Who was the first woman to be directly elected President of the Nigerian Bar Association?” the answer is Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN.
Both statements are historically accurate.
The controversy, therefore, is not about who deserves recognition. It is about ensuring that history is told with the precision it deserves.
In the end, the NBA’s history is richer because it has two women whose achievements deserve celebration, not comparison. Their milestones are complementary, not contradictory.