From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Nigeria’s former President Dr Goodluck Jonathan has frowned at the continued use of the United Kingdom as the venue of arbitrations involving Nigeria and other International Organisations.
According to him those in charge of arbitration should work hard to ensure such arbitration involving government contracts takes place in Nigeria.
The former President spoke on Saturday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State during the book launch, ‘Arbitration And Dispute Resolution In Nigeria’ written by the traditional ruler of Abureni kingdom in Ogbia local government area of the state, King Collins Ebi Daniel, Olila- Ebhugh of Abureni Kingdom,
Jonathan declared that resolving disputes outside the courtroom is short, less expensive and makes people more bound morally.
“Let me use this unique opportunity to charge the bodies in this country that are responsible for either arbitration or resolving issues to work hard to ensure that arbitrations are done in Nigeria because all the contracts the Nigeria government entered with international organisations, arbitration are always done in the United Kingdom, can’t we do some of these arbitrations in Nigeria? I don’t know why it must be the United Kingdom, why it must be outside Nigeria; I think we need to work hard so that some of these things will be done here in Nigeria.
“As non-lawyers, we look at issues of resolving disputes in two different ways, one that takes place in the courtroom and one that takes place outside the courtroom.
“We think that society is so complex, going to court for judges to settle our disputes don’t solve our problems, because judges decide based on the facts presented to them, that is why people still get back home and start fighting, especially issues like land cases and Chieftaincy cases, so I believe solving disputes outside the courtroom will be a better and shorter way than going through court processes,” he said.
The monarch in his remarks said he used his experience as a law practitioner, law teacher and a traditional ruler to write the book in order to help society to resolve issues properly and permanently.
He stated that dispute resolution is key because there is bound to be disputes in society. The way the dispute is resolved to the satisfaction of every party brings lasting peace to society.