A former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has called for urgent reforms that will aid speedy dispensation of civil cases. Speaking at the launching of a book titled, “Civil Litigation: A Quick Reference Guide To Substantive Law and Procedure”, by retired Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie in Abuja, Osinbajo drew attention to deep-rooted flaws in Nigeria’s justice system.
He noted that the pace of civil litigation remains painfully slow, often stretching into decades, and warned that only bold reforms could restore public faith in the courts. Osinbajo began his address by reflecting on the discouraging weight of legal education.
He revealed that though two of his three children were expected to follow the path of law, none did, largely because of the overwhelming academic demands and the mountain of books that discourage many from pursuing the profession.
Turning to the courts, he recalled a UK case in which a former Chief Justice of Nigeria admitted that civil suits could last 20 to 30 years in the country. The English Court of Appeal concluded that leaving such matters unresolved in Nigeria would be catastrophic. For Osinbajo, this judgement was not only sobering, but also a call to urgently unclog the system.
He however pointed to procedural bottlenecks such as endless adjournments, preliminary objections, recycled legal jargon, and interlocutory appeals that trap litigants in cycles of delay. “Justice under such conditions ceases to be about access and becomes about escape”, he said. Osinbajo also looked to the future, emphasizing that technology and artificial intelligence will radically transform legal practice.
He observed that AI could already analyze databases, draft legal opinions in the style of a firm, assist judges in writing judgements, and record proceedings seamlessly. For him, this was a proof that Nigerian courts must adopt new tools and new ways of thinking to achieve timely outcomes.
In closing, he congratulated Justice Adefope-Okojie on the release of the fourth edition of her 853-page work, describing it as a landmark achievement. He praised her dedication to improving civil procedure and wished her continued strength in her contribution to law and scholarship.
