Overview
The Guardian | November 25th, 2014
The need to find techniques that go beyond the traditional means of dispute resolution has become increasingly apparent. More individual and organizations recognize that the expense made in litigation does not account for the total impact associated with the time spent by individual and corporate representatives.
These are the words of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Fabian Ajogwu at the 2014 President 's Dinner and presentation of award to the members of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Nigeria during the weekend in Lagos. He said there is no doubt that the divisiveness of litigation has been recognized as an additional cost that should be considered.
According to him, "Arbitration and mediation has come to stay. It is better to be prepared to embrace it and benefit from it, the rules of numbers of courts include mandatory provisions for Alternative Dispute Resolution show that there has been a migration from a good to explore to a must explore. The importance of arbitration is without doubt clearly established, it is indeed worrisome that a significant majority of arbitration of home generated disputes is exported outside Nigeria. It is the belief of the institution that the time has come for a reversal of this trend.
With qualified persons as our inductees this year there should be no excuse to seek expertise outside. What remains for us is to reverse the trend of setting aside arbitral awards at the slightest opportunity, and to appoint qualified arbitrators in Nigeria to conduct arbitration."
Dr Ajogwu, who is a General Secretary of the Institute said they have to continue to explore ways of maintaining the high standards of training aimed at achieving the highest standard in their membership.
"We have tried to ensure that arbitrators are people of highest moral caliber and professional competence. This year's Fellows and Associates are a testimony to the high premium that we continued to place on this aspect of our institution objectives and activities", he said.
Speaking on the Institute's Fast Track Fellowship Program, Ajogwu said that it is a training program for professionals who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields with arbitration or aspect of arbitration experience, and who intend to practice Arbitration as fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Nigeria.
"The Fast Track Fellowship Program is a practical training program on Arbitration and other forms of ADR. The training programme offers guidelines in the emerging trends of arbitral proceedings and other modern dispute resolution mechanisms. It uses a variety of teaching formats emphasizes participation by participants to understand the practice of arbitration and award writing."
Eminent Nigerians were in attendance, about 44 members were given award while the new members were inducted.
