I was delighted to welcome Mrs Adeyinka Aroyewun, the director and a member of the governing council at the LMDC.  An International Mediator of the Center for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) the United Kingdom, a Member of the Charted Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) UK.  She has mediated over seventy (70) disputes and has gained experience in a comprehensive range of disputes such as commercial disputes; financial / banking,  property, employment and family disputes. In this episode of EVA, we critically discussed the following questions:

a) What prompted the birth of the LMDC in the Nigerian Judicial Landscape?

b) What are the advantages of using the LMDC and its impact so far?

c) With the recent challenges faced at the LMDC, what is the resultant effect of these challenges or occurrence?

We concluded by touching on these challenges caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic and END SARS peaceful protest hijacked by hoodlums, which led to the burning down of LMDC. Despite these challenges, the LMDC has continued to render services remotely to their users.

 I was thrilled to welcome Mrs Nnezi Miriam Ivenso, a lawyer with 13 (thirteen) years, post -qualification experience in active legal practise including Litigation, ADR and Corporate Commercial Practice. She holds a master's degree in Law Financial Services from the University of London, a certified Mediator, enlisted as a Neutral with the Enugu State Multi-Door Courthouse (ESMDC) as well as an Associate Member of the Charted Institute of Arbitrators, (CIArb), United Kingdom.  In this episode of Expert Views on ADR (EVA), the following questions were posed and dealt with - what is mediation and what are the criteria for finding or hiring the right mediator? 

 We concluded by touching on the essential elements and features of mediation while at the same time indicating the importance of finding the right mediator.

I was thrilled to welcome Mr Johnson Amaechi, a practising lawyer in Nigeria and a graduate of the renowned Obafemi Awolowo University. We extensively discussed the following questions:

 'What is the concept or philosophy behind the Customary Arbitration'? 

This question predicates the 5th Episode of Expert Views on ADR (EVA) where Mr IK Onuoma and I highlighted that they are two forms of Arbitration in Nigeria, the first is the customary arbitration; the second one is the modern-day arbitration. The discussion leads to the second question 'What is the current development of Arbitration in Nigeria'?

Is there an interplay between ego and apology, which are two sides of a coin when it comes to dispute resolution? I and Esther Ebigbo, a First Class graduate of psychology from the University of Nigeria, who works with persons with disabilities; an inspirational singer, provided a comprehensive insight into the above-stated question. We also dealt with 'whether people can have a subject matter bias'? The reason for this question predicates the 5th Episode of EVA where we discussed that some lawyers are yet to embrace ADR. 

We concluded that these psychological, emotional dynamics and other factors discussed should be borne in mind by potential users when making a choice.

In episode 5 of Expert Views on ADR (EVA) Podcast, two questions were raised, the first one was 'what prompted the birth of the ESMDC' and the second question was, 'what could influence the selection of an ADR option'? 

I had the opportunity to discuss these questions with Mr Ikechukwu Onuoma Esq (Notary Public), the Managing Partner of Obra Legal; a lawyer with over 14 years experience in Litigation, Domestic and International Arbitration and Negotiation. He is also a Charted Mediator who has mediated over 15 cases at the Enugu State Multi-Door courthouse since the inception of ESMDC in 2018 and a member of the Editorial Board of the Enugu State Multi-Door Court House Journal. 

In this episode of Expert Views on ADR (EVA), I and Ms.Chika Maduakolam, a PhD Candidate in Socio-legal studies at York University, Toronto; a lawyer with over ten (10) years experience in civil litigation and dispute resolution presents a general overview of arbitration and why potential users should view it as a preferred alternative to litigation.

In this third episode of Expert Views on ADR Podcast, I and Mr John Osegi who is a Mediator at the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC) and a practising lawyer in Nigeria, critically analysed the type of matters that are amenable to ADR; with the hope of enlightening potential users and litigants on the type of matters that can be sent to ADR. Hitherto we discovered that some matters are best handled under Mediation, which is part of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). 

Episode 2 of Expert views on ADR revealed some of the factors that contributed to the recent use of ADR or the rise of ADR in various jurisdictions- which was as a result of delay and cost of litigation. Thus these factors provided an avenue for litigants to move towards ADR.

Against this backdrop, Mr Steve Adikaibe, a practising lawyer in Nigeria, points out the advantages or benefits of ADR with a clear intention of educating potential users.

Questions have been asked whether there is any difference between the present ADR and the traditional method of settling a dispute in Africa (TAMSD)? In a bid to answer this question I  have invited Mr Kenneth Josiah, a renowned legal practitioner in Nigeria to share his view or throw more light on the topic in this first episode.