‘Nigerians need education on ADR’

The need for Nigerians to get re-oriented on the principles and merits of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) came up on Wednesday at a special workshop organised by the Center For Practical Legal Training (CEPLT), for the Corps of the Legal Aid Council in collaboration with the Oyo State Ministry of Justice to train stakeholders and young lawyers on the benefit of using ADR to settle issues.

The young lawyers and other participants were trained on steps in developing a successful career in Arbitration and other ADR methods as part of the ADR Practice Mabagenent series of workshops designed to take the training in ADR and legal services beyond the theory of how to mediate or rules of Arbitration.

The seminar leader, Mr Kole Ojo, a full time ADR practitioner and the Director, CEPLT Ibadan said that people who are being asked to go for training in arbitration or mediation with a lot of money at stake will certainly need to know how they can profit from the training and the urgent issue which is musing in the present curriculum of many professional trainings in our country.

“In order to do well in any activity or profession, the key thing is to have passion. Another thing is to let that passion for the subject lead you to recognise the opportunity in the business,” he said.

Ojo urged the tribes to find a niche and to specialise if they want to be recognised in the field of Arbitation and ADR and enjoined them to “take risks by training for ADR and committing totally to the profession if they want to become successful.

CEPLT trained about 250 people including government legal practitioners free on the basics of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to de-mystify Arbitration and ADR and reveal hidden treasures in the procedure.

The training titled, Effective Career Strategies in ADR, was also part of efforts to promote education and quality of delivery in ADR services in Nigeria and raise awareness amongst young lawyers and workers in the public sector about the options available in ADR work and services in order to deliver better access to justice and peace in our society.

Mr Ojo used the training session to educate attendees and other stakeholders on the workings and operations of a multi door court house and how the OYMDC will work together with the Mediation Center at the Ministry of Justice to resolve disputes outside the court for litigants.

Ojo’s training was focused on developing an effective career in arbitration and other ADR methods with attention to the business environment of ADR with different kinds of arbitration forums and the first steps starting out in arbitration and ADR.