SPA Legal, Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze, Anchors Drive for Indigenous Peacebuilding Framework

...As Enugu State Govt Embarks on ADR Revolution  

Enugu State is fast emerging as the cradle of a new justice renaissance in Nigeria, following the bold declaration by the Governor, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, that his administration will institutionalize Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) across all local government areas of the state. The Governor’s vision, which seeks to fuse traditional peacebuilding methods with modern arbitration systems, took a major step forward during the maiden ADR Colloquium of the College of Arbitrators Nigeria LTD/GTE, held recently in Enugu.

The colloquium, themed “Rethinking Dispute Resolution in a Modern Society – Going Back to Our Roots,” gathered some of the most eminent figures in Nigeria’s legal and traditional systems judges, senior advocates, policy experts, community leaders, and scholars to chart a fresh direction for the country’s justice landscape.

Representing the Governor at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Legal Matters, Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze, delivered an impactful address that not only articulated Dr. Mbah’s vision but also outlined the practical roadmap the state government has already initiated to bring ADR to the grassroots.

In his address, Governor Mbah, through Barr. Nnajieze, announced that the Enugu State Government is already developing a framework for establishing ADR Centers in all 17 local government areas. These centers, he explained, will serve as institutional platforms for mediation, arbitration, and community-based reconciliation — offering citizens a quicker, cheaper, and more humane alternative to litigation.

“ADR is not merely an alternative to litigation,” Barr. Nnajieze stated on behalf of the Governor. “It is the bridge that reconnects our legal system with the human values of dialogue, empathy, and reconciliation that once defined African justice.”

Governor Mbah, through his representative, stressed that Enugu’s model of ADR will not replace the formal court system but will instead complement it by reviving the indigenous Igbo systems of justice that once sustained peaceful coexistence in local communities.

“Our forefathers dispensed justice under the palm tree, in the presence of elders, through consensus and truth-telling,” he noted. “Structures like the Igba Nkwu, Izu, and Ndi Nze na Ozo councils were institutions of equity and reconciliation. We intend to modernize those principles into ADR centers that will restore harmony, rebuild trust, and strengthen social cohesion.”

He emphasized that his administration is determined to make Enugu a model for justice innovation, where disputes are settled not through prolonged court battles, but through processes that restore relationships and preserve peace.

“We are establishing a justice culture where the people can once again sit together, talk together, and heal together,” the Governor declared through his Special Adviser. “Justice is not only about winning a case, it’s about restoring dignity, understanding, and balance.”

Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze, whose office has become central to shaping the legal reforms of the Mbah administration, has been widely commended for his proactive coordination of the Governor’s justice transformation agenda. Under his legal guidance, Enugu is developing an operational blueprint that will guide the establishment, regulation, and training of mediators across the state’s ADR centers.

The Special Adviser explained that the state’s approach will involve community sensitization, legal education, and the incorporation of traditional leaders as partners in conflict resolution. He noted that mediators to be trained under the program will be equipped not just with legal knowledge, but with the cultural sensitivity needed to handle conflicts within their social contexts.

“Governor Mbah’s directive is clear, justice must be accessible, affordable, and restorative,” Barr. Nnajieze said. “Our task is to translate that directive into a living institution that works for everyone, from the marketplace to the town square.”

The President of the College of Arbitrators Nigeria LTD/GTE, Chief Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), described Governor Mbah’s vision as “a refreshing departure from litigation-centered justice to people-centered justice.”

“What Enugu is pioneering under Governor Mbah’s leadership is a model other states should emulate,” Ikwueto said. “It is progressive, pragmatic, and deeply rooted in our cultural identity.”

Justice Emeka Okuma of Anambra State echoed this sentiment, noting that ADR remains one of the most effective instruments for preserving peace in society.

“ADR is an African invention,” he said. “It is practical, participatory, and preventive, it stops disputes from becoming crises.”

Other notable dignitaries in attendance included Dr. Kingsley Udeh (SAN), the Enugu State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; Justice Nelson Ogbuanya of the National Industrial Court, Owerri Division; Dr. Chikwendu Madumere, Director of Training, College of Arbitrators Nigeria; and Dr. Okey Akobundu, Vice President of the College of Arbitrators Nigeria.

All speakers agreed that Nigeria’s legal system must rediscover its indigenous foundations, making ADR not merely an alternative, but a complementary pillar of justice, peace, and national integration.

Governor Mbah’s administration continues to gain national attention for its pragmatic reforms across sectors, from digital governance and infrastructural renewal to education and justice delivery. The ADR initiative, coordinated through the Office of the Special Adviser on Legal Matters, represents yet another testament to the Governor’s commitment to sustainable peace and inclusive development.

“Enugu will be a laboratory for justice innovation, a sanctuary for tradition, and a beacon for reconciliation,” the Governor declared. “We will turn our shared cultural heritage into a living instrument of modern governance.”

With Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze providing expert legal coordination, Enugu’s ADR agenda is set to not only decongest courts but also restore public confidence in the justice system, promote social stability, and preserve the timeless Igbo heritage of truth and dialogue.

As the colloquium concluded with resounding applause, one thing became clear: Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has not just launched a justice reform, he has ignited a movement, and with his Special Adviser on Legal Matters at the helm, Enugu is set to lead Nigeria into a new era of peace-driven justice.