FREETOWN, 27th October 2026 – First Lady Fatima Maada Bio has joined hundreds of Sierra Leoneans to congratulate Martina Baindu Egbenda on her election as the new President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA), describing it as a victory for ambitious women and for strong institutions.
Egbenda, who currently serves as Sierra Leone’s Administrator and Registrar-General, was elected unopposed at the Bar Association’s Annual General Meeting held on Monday 26th October 2026 at the Freetown International Conference Centre, Bintumani, Aberdeen.
Her election ended months of leadership crisis at the Bar after a disputed AGM in Kenema in 2024 and a failed attempt to hold elections in July 2026 that was disrupted by police.
In a Facebook post shortly after the result, First Lady Fatima Bio wrote:
“WE HAVE A PRESIDENT 🫡🫡 👏🏾👏🏾 Congratulations, Martina Baindu Egbenda, President-Elect of the Sierra Leone Bar Association! Throughout this journey to your presidency, you have reminded us that it is okay for a woman to be ambitious, but that ambition must be anchored in steadfastness, a commitment to service, and unwavering integrity.”
“As a woman who firmly believes that everyone deserves a fair chance to rise, lead, and make a difference, I stand proudly with you. Your achievement is a reminder that when women are given the opportunity to lead, they can inspire change and open doors for others,” Mrs Bio said, adding the slogans “Girl Power. Better Service. Stronger Institutions. EGBENDA! EBEMA!”
The First Lady urged Egbenda to “bring the Bar together, strengthen its unity, uphold its integrity, and serve the legal profession and our nation with distinction.”
Egbenda campaigned under the theme “Unity, Inclusion and Progress” and will lead a new executive that includes Nicky Spencer-Coker as Vice President, Caroline Sesay as General Secretary, Ebun Tengbeh as Public Relations Officer and Margaret Murray as Treasurer.
According to reports, the election was conducted under strict eligibility rules set by a five-member Caretaker Body chaired by Osman Ibrahim Kanu Esq., following a High Court order by Justice Mark Ngegba. Only 429 members who paid subscription and conference fees on or before 29th May 2026 with proof of payment were on the provisional voters’ list – a list that excluded outgoing President Tuma Adama Gento-Kamara and several members of her executive.
Egbenda’s election is being seen as historic, not only because she is the first woman to lead the Bar in recent years in such a sweeping victory, but also because for the first time the President, Vice President and General Secretary emerged from the same campaign team.
The Sierra Leone Bar Association is the professional body representing lawyers in Sierra Leone, responsible for promoting professional standards, protecting the interests of practitioners, and contributing to national conversations on justice and the rule of law.
