MONROVIA, Liberia — In a move seen as both historic and strategic, Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah, President of the Liberia National Bar Association, has been appointed Acting President of the West African Bar Association (WABA), becoming the first Liberian to head the regional legal body at a time of rising democratic instability and challenges to the rule of law across the region.
Cllr. Varmah, an international trade lawyer with more than two decades of legal advocacy experience, assumes the role following the resignation of former WABA President Ousmane Bouba Traore, who stepped down for personal reasons. Traore, who also heads the Malian Bar Association, cited conflicting responsibilities, including his leadership of a Francophone legal coalition, for his departure.
In an exclusive interview with OK FM in Monrovia, Varmah called the appointment a “victory” not only for Liberia’s legal community but for the entire country. “It is the first time Liberia is now heading a sub-regional professional membership organization,” he said. “It validates the work we’ve done nationally and signals our emergence in the community of nations.”
Founded in 2003, the West African Bar Association was born out of a need to protect judicial independence and promote legal professionalism in a region too often rattled by political instability, authoritarian rule, and human rights abuses. With headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, WABA serves as a watchdog for the rule of law across the 15 ECOWAS member states, frequently weighing in on democratic backsliding, judicial corruption, and access to justice.
Under Varmah’s interim leadership, WABA faces a mounting list of challenges. Across the Sahel, where countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have exited the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), democratic norms are eroding. In his interview, Varmah expressed particular concern about these developments.
“We are concerned about the ECOWAS Court of Justice—its decisions are not being honored. We are concerned about terrorism in the Sahel. We are concerned about democracy as a whole in West Africa,” he said, highlighting his intention to push for stronger adherence to legal frameworks across the region.
Varmah also signaled plans to engage with bar associations and governments throughout West Africa to ensure that “access to justice and the rule of law is enhanced.” His tenure, he said, would be rooted in collaboration and advocacy—principles shaped by his years of legal activism in Liberia.
The transition at WABA comes at a time when civil society across West Africa is increasingly under pressure. Military coups, electoral manipulation, and weakened judicial systems threaten the democratic gains made in the post-conflict decades.
Though currently serving in an acting capacity, Varmah is expected to lead until WABA convenes its next general meeting in Nigeria, where a formal leadership decision will be made.
Whether Liberia’s turn at the helm will translate into stronger regional cohesion remains to be seen. But for now, Cllr. Varmah’s appointment is being celebrated as a milestone for a nation long rebuilding its legal and democratic institutions after years of civil war.
