By Austin Ogwuda
THE Asagba of Asaba, Obi Professor Epiphany Azinge has emphasized the need to activate the traditional administration of justice as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism inorder to bring justice closer to the grassroots and for easy disposition of litigations.
Obi Azinge, a legal icon and former Director General of Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) stated this at his palace in Asaba on New Year day during a Media parley.
He pointed not all cases or disputes should be taken to Court for adjudication since the traditional administration of justice system is well equipped and wired to pass justice without fear or favour in the palaces.
His words, “It is important to look into the role of traditional rulers both constitutionally and otherwise so that a pride of place can be created for them under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
That has been the vision, that has been the clamour from my predecessor in office and it is one that I have also keyed into and I believe the time has come for us to eloquently push that and make sure that we set it to be in the front burner of national discourse at this point in time and it is one that I am prepared to drive to the best of my ability.
“To move into traditional governance, that is very key to us in this regard we are also trying to explore the opportunities trying to put in the front burner the traditional administration of justice system.
“Incidentally, this is something that I championed the research into while I was Director General of Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. Research has shown that almost 80 percent of disputes are settled at the traditional level and the remaining is just at the court system that we have.
“So we want to see how we can elevate that to a pedestal a traditional administration of justice and to encourage people to appreciate the fact that there is a lot of virtue in a traditional administration of justice and to also make people appreciate and understand that what we have now as Alternative Dispute Resolution is more or less a flow over from our traditional administration of justice.
“We want to bring this to the forefront and encourage our people that not all matters should go to the court system that we inherited, that there’s a lot of virtue and a lot to be achieved if we reduce and accept the traditional administration of justice system that is part and parcel of us”.
Continuing, the Asagba said, “I was asked recently, when there is a pronouncement from the courts and there are pronouncements from Otu Ihaza, which is the governing body in Asaba, which one is to be adhered to?
“I quickly told them, adhere to the court because I am a product of that system. But I said the court cannot come to the village to implement their judgment. So it is something that people should bear in mind, that the court system can rule, but can they implement, can they enforce?
“We have to be wary how we navigate and chart this path between a blend, between our traditional administration of justice system and of course, the judicial system, the inherited legal system that we operate”, he added.
