A Professor of Law, Innovation and Technology and former Second Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Prof. Foluke Dada-Lawanson, has accused the leadership of Egbe Amofin O’odua of promoting what she described as “gutter warfare”, cyberbullying and political intimidation within the NBA.
In a statement issued on Monday and made available to journalists, Dada-Lawanson appealed to lawyers across the country to reject what she called tyranny, character assassination and the erosion of professionalism in the legal profession.
She alleged that her ordeal began after she contested for the NBA presidency ahead of the 2026 election but later withdrew her ambition following the intervention of senior members of Egbe Amofin O’odua, including Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), in support of the group’s preferred candidate, Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN).
According to her, after stepping down, she independently endorsed another aspirant, Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya (SAN), a decision she said triggered a coordinated campaign of attacks against her.
“The only offence I committed was exercising my constitutional right to think independently and support a candidate of my choice,” she said.
The senior lawyer accused the leadership of the regional legal association of orchestrating false allegations against her, including claims that she demanded N250m from Akinboro, insisting that the allegation was entirely fabricated.
She further alleged that members supporting her were removed from official digital platforms while posts expressing contrary opinions were censored.
Dada-Lawanson also claimed that there were attempts to frustrate her nomination into the Council of Legal Education through what she described as external administrative influence.
The law professor defended her qualifications for public office, citing her record as a former Dean and Head of Department of a Faculty of Law, where she secured full accreditation and increased the institution’s admission quota.
She also highlighted her previous roles as Chairman of the NBA Ado-Ekiti Branch, former NBA Second Vice President, Chair of the NBA Lawyers in Academia Forum, and her contributions to strengthening international collaborations involving the NBA Women’s Forum.
Questioning the legitimacy of the zoning arrangement adopted by Egbe Amofin O’odua, Dada-Lawanson maintained that no transparent or constitutionally recognised process approved the current leadership succession plan.
She also dismissed claims that aspirants were subjected to a screening process before the adoption of the group’s preferred candidate, describing the exercise as non-existent.
According to her, attempts to return the NBA to what she described as an opaque delegate system would undermine democratic gains already achieved by the association.
She warned that regional politics and internal divisions posed a serious threat to the unity and independence of the Bar.
Dada-Lawanson urged young lawyers not to allow themselves to be used as tools for political battles, stressing that professionalism and respect should remain the defining values of the legal profession.
She called on members of the Bar to resist intimidation, defend democratic principles and restore civility to the association.
“I will not be bullied out of my convictions. Leadership in the NBA should be driven by merit, capacity and character, not by regional godfathers or campaigns of intimidation,” she stated.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
