•Calls for Balance, Humane Leadership
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, has joined the global conversation on mental wellness by spotlighting the rising tide of stress and burnout plaguing Nigeria’s legal profession.
Commemorating the 2025 World Mental Health Day, the branch hosted its Welfare Conference under the theme “Thriving in Law: Winning Without Burnout,” which gathered hundreds of lawyers, mental health advocates, and wellness experts to discuss the pressures of legal practice and practical strategies for sustainable professional and personal well-being.
In his opening address, Chairman of the NBA Ikeja Branch, Mr Adeniyi Quadri, described the conference as a strategic step toward ensuring that members not only excel professionally but also maintain mental stability in an increasingly demanding field.
“As we gather to discuss the challenges confronting our profession, it is critical to focus on mental health and collective welfare.
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| CHIEF EMEKA OZOANI, SAN |
“A conference like this provides a platform to share experiences and explore innovative solutions that enhance both our well-being and professional effectiveness,” Quadri said.
He praised the Welfare Committee for its initiative and urged members to internalise and apply the insights shared to improve their productivity and overall welfare.
Delivering the keynote address, Chief Emeka Ozoani (SAN) lauded the Branch leadership for placing lawyers’ mental health at the heart of its welfare agenda.
He stressed that the well-being of the justice system depends on the well-being of those who uphold it.
“The health of our justice system is inseparable from the health of those who sustain it, the lawyers,” Ozoani said, describing burnout as a hidden epidemic silently consuming practitioners.
He argued that the legal profession must redefine success, shifting focus from financial and professional achievements to include peace of mind, integrity, and balance.
“True success is not only in the number of briefs or titles we hold. It must also include mental balance and personal fulfilment,” he said.
To counter the burnout crisis, Ozoani proposed practical strategies such as setting personal and professional boundaries, leveraging technology for efficiency, prioritising rest as a professional necessity, managing client expectations, and cultivating supportive mentorship networks.
“Excellence and balance are not enemies; they are partners. A lawyer who thrives sustainably performs with purpose, not exhaustion,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, Mrs Yetunde Adekoya, a wellness coach and stress management expert, emphasised the importance of compassionate leadership in legal organisations.
“Leadership plays a huge role in well-being. For those leading chambers and firms, it’s important to demand results but also to respect boundaries.
“You shouldn’t be calling a team member at midnight or intruding on their personal time. Boundaries protect both productivity and humanity,” she said.
Adekoya reframed stress not as an enemy but as a signal for reflection and balance.
“Stress is normal, it’s a signal, not a sentence. The foundation of managing stress is recognising it, not denying it. And the second step is to keep hope alive,” she explained.
She urged participants to resist despair in toxic work environments and reclaim their sense of worth.
“You deserve peace, rest, and the joy of living,” Adekoya concluded, encouraging lawyers to pause, recharge, and pursue balance without guilt.
#NBAMentalHealth #ThrivingInLaw #WinningWithoutBurnout #NBAIkeja #LawyersWellbeing #WorldMentalHealthDay #LegalProfession #EmekaOzoaniSAN #AdeniyiQuadri #YetundeAdekoya
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