In a powerful chairman’s speech at the opening of the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum’s 2025 Annual General Conference, Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, emphasized that women are not beneficiaries of sympathy, but partners in progress—equal in capability, dignity, and purpose.
Distinguished Colleagues,
It is a great honour and privilege to address you today as Chairman of the 2025 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum (NBAWF). This forum is not just a gathering of legal professionals—it is a celebration of resilience, excellence, and the unshakable strength of women in the legal profession and beyond.
Let me begin by stating a truth that should no longer be up for debate: women are not objects of empowerment or sympathy patronage.
Women are not to be uplifted out of charity, nor should they be viewed through the lens of benevolence or tokenism. By divine arrangement and natural design, women are equal to men in every respect—in intellect, capacity, leadership, and value.
Some of the founding minds of our noble profession once asserted that there were no women at the Bar. Their reasoning, paradoxically, was rooted in the principle of equality. They envisioned the Bar as a place of equals and saw no distinction between man and woman—only lawyers, capable and competent. This vision of equality remains our compass today.
Let us remind ourselves: women are the architects of society. From the home to the courtroom, from boardrooms to legislative chambers, women shape, nurture, and build the very fabric of our communities. When women rise, societies prosper.
Let your integrity be louder than your title, and your impact deeper than your ambition.
Uplift other women as you climb. Leadership is multiplied when shared.
Think deeply. Reflect on it. Women are strong. Women are beautiful. Women are unstoppable. You have shattered glass ceilings, defied stereotypes, and rewritten narratives that once sought to limit your potential.
So today, I raise my voice and my heart in celebration of the exceptional women of the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum. You inspire change. You lead with grace and strength. And you remind us all that equality is not a favour—it is a right.
“The presence of women at the Bar is not a concession—it is a correction of history and a confirmation of truth.”
“When women lead, justice finds its fullest expression.”
“Empowerment is not about giving power—it is about recognising the power that already exists.”
On that note of truth, honour, and progress, I proudly declare the 2025 NBAWF Annual General Conference open.
Cheers once again to the strong, visionary, and unstoppable women of the NBAWF.
Thank you.
Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN
Chairman, NBAWF 2025 Annual General Conference
