Bada was born in Kaduna to parents from Ogidi, Kogi State. He broke through at the regional level in 1990, with bronze medals in both 200 and 400 metres at the 1990 African Championships. The next year, at the 1991 All-Africa Games, he won a silver in the 400 metres. He competed without reaching the final in the 400 metres of the 1992 Olympics, but in the 4 x 400 metres relay he managed to finish fifth with the Nigerian team. The same year he broke the 45-second barrier by running the 400 m in 44.99 seconds, in September in Havana. This happened at the 1992 IAAF World Cup, an event he won.