THE Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen, has urged Nigerians to seek other ways of resolving civil disputes rather than taking them to the courts, adding that more lasting peace can be achieved through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) than through the formal judicial system.
Onnoghen said this while addressing the members of the Nigerian chapter of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) in Abuja, on Thursday, as part of the association’s 2018 annual conference.
“Having experienced both sides of a formal court system and the traditional arbitration, I can assure you and I want you to know that the judicial system is not designed to ensure peace. If you want peace, don’t go to courts,” Justice Onnoghen was quoted as saying.
He further explained that, in the formal courts, “You are either right or wrong. We determine the rights, liabilities and responsibilities of parties. It is not designed to ensure peace.”
The Nigeria Branch of the CIArb became functional in 1999 after it fulfilled the requirements to be granted Branch status by the parent body in the United Kingdom. It has over 1,137 members drawn from across all disciplines of human endeavour including practitioners in Law, Construction, Shipping, Engineering, Insurance, Banking, Accounting, Oil and Gas, among others.
The CIArb maintains close links with other professional arbitral bodies worldwide, and its major role is to apply Alternative Dispute Resolution methods in settling civil cases. The Institute is also recognized as the professional body for training and examination of those seeking to become qualified arbitrators, mediators and other ADR Practitioners.
The theme of the 2018 CIArb conference is: “Arbitration and ADR in Africa: Challenges Gains and Lessons for the Future.”