In a bold move to tackle surging appellate caseloads, the Court of Appeal opened a high-powered special sitting today at its Lagos Division, drawing 48 justices from across Nigeria and legal stakeholders for a week-long push to resolve 360 ripe appeals.
Presiding over the ceremony, Honourable President M. B. Dongban-Mensem, CFR, emphasized the event’s role in decongesting Lagos’ docket, the nation’s commercial hub and a hotspot for litigation.
“This sitting reflects the Court’s deliberate commitment to enhancing efficiency in justice delivery,” she declared, noting it kicks off the Court’s Golden Jubilee year, marking 50 years since its inception in Lagos.
The initiative features 16 panels of justices, including Dongban-Mensem herself, with sessions at the Lagos Division and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) complex.
She praised NICN’s President for providing courtrooms and accommodation, amid the Court of Appeal’s resource constraints, and thanked the Lagos State Attorney General’s office for collaboration that made the massive turnout possible.
Legal stakeholders packed the venue, including brother justices sacrificing time for the cause, the Chief Registrar and registry teams from Lagos and neighboring divisions, Deputy Chief Registrar, Hon. Presiding Justice of the Lagos Division, learned silks, counsel, parties, and members of the “Fourth Estate”.
Dongban-Mensem urged counsel to ensure punctuality, readiness, and preemptive fixes to processes, warning against delays.
Highlighting collegial conferencing for consistent, enduring judgments, she commended organizers and called on all to uphold professionalism and integrity.
“Justice must not only be done but manifestly seen to be done,” she said while appealing to the media for accurate reporting.
With appeals ready for hearing, the President stressed seizing this rare opportunity amid Jubilee festivities.
“Let us make the best of it,” she concluded, invoking divine wisdom for the panels.
Reporting By Wahab Akinlade