Olasupo Shasore tasks judicial officers on arbitration training

Former attorney-general and commissioner for justice in Lagos State, Mr. Olasupo Shasore has charged judicial officers to embark on proper arbitration training.

According to him, such training would help them to understand the intricacies of arbitration matters and avoid errors in conflict resolution.

Speaking during the Lagos Court of Arbitration-Young Arbitrators Network symposium, Shasore, said that in order to abide by the principles guiding arbitration, judges need a lot more training.

He said: “I believe that arbitration is something that is commonsensical. It is not technical, it is just an area that needs to be understood, trained in and learnt properly.

“When arbitration matters come before judges who are trained lawyers and they are not trained in arbitration, we find out that it is easy for judges to make errors that have far-reaching effects.

“A lot is happening already by way of judicial interaction in the area of training. This is to be carried on and go all the way on to the other courts.”

Mark Clarke, Partner, White & Case, insists that in order to make arbitration internationally accepted, Nigeria needs to have a court system which upholds the principles of arbitration, respects the arbitration process and allows the process run its course.

Kolawole Mayomi, Partner, S.P. Ajibade & Co said it is time judges become interested in arbitration because they have been complaining of the congestion of their dockets.

Mayomi said arbitration helps decongest the courts and help the courts focus on important matters that they have a capacity to actually handle.

Isaiah Bozimo, chairman, advisory Board, Lagos Court of Arbitration – Young Arbitrators Network said the idea behind young arbitrators network is to sensitise young members below 40 years of the arbitrary process and the intricases of the process.