The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, yesterday said that litigation, which is the conventional manner of dispute resolution, is increasingly giving way to alternative dispute resolution techniques.
Adoke made this submission in a paper entitled: “Alternative Dispute Resolution: A Vehicle for Resolving Disputes in Nigeria” which he presented at the seventh Justice James Moradeyo Adesiyun Biennial Memorial Lecture held at Kwara Hotel, Ilorin.
Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, Chief Bayo Ojo making a contribution at the Lecture
The lecture was chaired by the Chief Judge, Federal High Court of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Auta, OFR.
According to Adoke, “courts are slow and generally considered inefficient for reasons that include funding, poor physical facilities, staff shortages, congestion, high cost of litigation, uncertainty in litigation, its non confidential nature and so on.”
Chief Duro Adeyele, SAN, and Kogi State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah
“At a time when the nation is striving to attract foreign investors to the country at a time when the government of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is fully committed to a transformation agenda, the quest for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as vehicle for resolving disputes in Nigeria is certainly not misplaced”, he said.
Adoke, who was represented by Professor Epiphany Azinge, SAN noted that alternative dispute resolution is not alien to Nigeria culture. He said, “in the pre-colonioal era, Nigerians had a culture of compromise and peaceful resolution of their disputes. Amongst the Yorubas for instance, family disputes are brought before the Baale who is an elderly head of the community for intervention. It was a system where ancestors, traditional rulers, elders, age groups and traditional deities were actively involved in dispute resolution to ensure social justice and harmony within and among the communities. What we have as the contemporary Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is simply a repackaging of the Nigerian traditional system of dispute resolution.
Former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mustapha Akanbi rtd. and other guests at the Lecture
He highlighted some advantages of ADR over litigation which includes; cost effectiveness, timeliness of the process, flexibility of procedure, confidentiality, preservation and restoration of relationships.
The event was graced by eminent personalities across the country which includes the Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), Kogi State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah, Alhaji Salman (SAN), retired President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Mustapha Akanbi, the Oloffa of Offa, Former National Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Lawal Rabana, SAN, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, Chief Duro Adeyele, SAN (Chairman of the Adesiyun Memorial Lecture Committee), the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin Branch, Mr. Balogun and host of others.
President, Okun Development Associattion also graced the event
The attorney general congratulated Chief Bayo Ojo, CON, SAN FNIALS for blazing the trail in establishing an International Arbitration Centre in Abuja for promoting the practice of ADR.
The centre which is adjudged to be of world class will certainly complement the multi-door court centre and together will present Nigeria to the International Community as a nation seriously committed to the practice of ADR
