Ten (10) Reasons Why You Should Support Dr. Babatunde Ajibade SAN As The Next President Of The NBA

By Abdulkabir Abiodun Badmos

1. He has an impeccable record of selfless service to the bar, even without holding any office that gives him access to NBA funds. His firm has, in the last twelve (12) years been using their funds to stimulating discussions on how to better the lot of Nigeria’s judicial system. Now, is the time to ACT!

2. He is not a “traditional” NBA politician. I took a long look at all the records of service recently posted by his campaign team and found that this man has been the “go-to guy” when anything in the judicial system needs rebuilding. SBL, NBA Lagos Branch bar-bench relations, etc are common examples.

3. Ajibade has excelled in every professional endeavor he has laid his hands upon. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (first of his call mates to attain the rank), holds a Ph.D in law as far back as 1996, he is a Fellow of the CIArb UK. In simpler terms, he is outstanding in the courtroom, classroom and the boardroom!

4. Dr. Ajibade is not contesting to add any more titles to his name. I mean, what more can a man ask from God? Each time I listen to him speak to his plans to reposition the bar, I see clarity of thought and true passion to transform our NBA. He doesn’t give bogus and vague promises to young lawyers, like he’s going to employ ALL of them in his firm. I’d rather stand by a man who canvasses for deepening the legal market to ensure prosperity for all.

5. Even among those who canvass for other candidates, there is a consensus on Dr. Ajibade’s integrity. I have many PERSONAL examples but I will not bother you with them, since it is a matter agree upon.😉 If a brief is not sparkling clean, Ajibade will not touch it with a long pole. Some people say if he were the type to “play ball”, he probably would have been in top 10 richest lawyers alive in Nigeria.

6. I don’t know if my reader has heard him speak, but Dr. Ajibade never ceases to amaze me every single time he speaks. The depth of his knowledge, the logicality of his argument and analytical reasoning delivered in that mesmerizing baritone of a voice would keep you glued to your seats.

7. One would think a man that has accomplished all these would be the type to sit on a high horse and belittle others, but that’s not Ajibade. He has this uncommon aura of familiarity that accompanies his interactions with EVERYONE. It doesn’t matter to him whether you are old or a day old at the bar. In case you doubt this account, ask anyone that has done a matter AGAINST him. Little wonder that he has since become the favorite bride of young lawyers in Nigeria.

8. Babatunde Ajibade is through and through a professional advocate and manager of resources. He graduated from OAU Ife in 1988 and was called to bar in 1989. After obtaining his Masters and Ph.D in law in England, he returned to manage his father’s law firm. A law firm that was once a family law firm has since grown, under his leadership, to a leading specialized commercial law firm in Nigeria and beyond. What an excellent administrator!

9. Dr. Ajibade’s has distinguished himself as a candidate capable of independent thought and conviction. A somewhat good illustration of this is his refusal to bend to the whims of a few individuals in South West Nigeria to stop him from running because they intend to stick to “succession plan”. The NBA is a democratic society that aggregates vast interests and should not be one where godfathers predetermine who becomes the next President. The least that the NBA needs now is a remote-controlled President.

10. There’s no better time to have a man with the impeccable strength of character, vison and drive to reposition the NBA to one that works for all. Ajibade’s slogan has been #AUnitedBar. He seeks to unite the various fragments of the NBA for our common good. The law officers, legal officers, law teachers, practicing lawyers and others deserve their respective pride of places in the NBA. Tell me, who can do the job better to unite them all than a man who has excelled in at least three of these?!

My name is Abdulkabir Abiodun Badmos, and I just want to make common sense.
17th June, 2020.