July 04, 2025
By Ayinde Adeleke
Yorùbá netizens are expressing outrage online after the emergence of a new executive committee in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos branch, dominated by Non-Yorùbá.
According to reports, Mrs. Uchenna Ogunedo emerged as the chairman of the NBA Lagos branch, with a significant number of Igbo members holding key positions in the executive committee.
This development has triggered a heated debate on social media, with many Yorùbá netizens expressing their discontent and frustration.
“We can’t believe Non-Yorùbá are dominating our NBA branch,” one Yorùbá netizen who doesn’t want to be named told The Yorùbá Times on call.
“This is a clear case of marginalization, Yorùbás are being pushed out of leadership positions in their own backyard.” The source added.
However, some users have defended the outcome, arguing that the election was based on rotation between the Igbos and Yorùbá and that the best candidates emerged victorious.
However, questions have been raised about the applicability of the rotational arrangement in other regions, such as Abuja and Enugu among other states in Nigeria.
“What’s happening in NBA (Lagos Branch)? Pls how does this work? Isnt it supposed to be a Yoruba zone? Or is it a federal thing?” An X user, officialtemtv, asked in one of his tweets.
In response, a lawyer on X with the user Sir Eric explained, “Since you asked for clarity, NBA Lagos Branch is dominated by Yorùbás and Igbos. There is a rotational arrangement where a Yoruba person pilots the affairs for a tenure and an Igbo person takes over after that. The outgoing chairman is a Yoruba man, Uchenna is an Igbo lady.”
However, not everyone is satisfied with this explanation. Another user, Balogun Yoruba, reacted, saying, “There is nothing like Yoruba/Ibo has highest population. Either you allow everyone to contest, or only Yorubas will contest the positions. Since you started on the ethnicity ground, we are going to ensure it’s only a Yoruba affair. Lagos is not an extension of your 5 plots.”
Some users have also raised questions about the applicability of this rotational arrangement in other regions.
“Is this applicable in NBA Abuja too? Or this is only applicable in a Yoruba land? Is this applicable in Enugu also? These is a terrible arrangement,” another user asked.
OluGbenga also asked, “Please kindly explain to me do we have this type of gentlemanly agreement in the South East and north to rotate with other regions too. Please respond to this speedily.”
The NBA Lagos branch has not commented on the matter, but the controversy is expected to continue simmering in the coming days.
