Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has urged Nigerians to embrace Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as a sustainable mechanism for settling conflicts, promoting peace, and strengthening community bonds.

Governor Mbah made the call at the maiden ADR Colloquium of the College of Arbitrators Nigeria Ltd/Gte, themed “Rethinking Dispute Resolution in a Modern Society – Going Back to Our Roots,” held in Enugu on Monday.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Legal Matters, Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze, the governor disclosed that his administration has commenced plans to establish ADR centres across all 17 local government areas of the state.

According to him, the centres will integrate traditional conflict-resolution practices into the state’s justice delivery system while training mediators versed in both law and indigenous culture.

“ADR is a bridge between justice and peace, law and equity, the courtroom and the community. It has proven to be an effective and amicable method of resolving disputes,” Mbah said.

The governor recalled that the Igbo people had long practiced indigenous systems of mediation such as Igba Nkwu (dialogue under the palm tree), Izu (council of elders), and the Ndi Nze na Ozo institutions—frameworks he described as “justice systems rooted in empathy, accountability, and social cohesion.”

He emphasized the need to blend these cultural models with modern legal structures to ease court congestion and promote harmony.

“Enugu State is committed to leading this transformation. We will establish ADR centres in every local government, train mediators who understand both the law and the land, and build a justice system that restores dignity to dispute resolution,” Mbah affirmed.

“Let this colloquium not be a mere intellectual exercise, but a movement — a movement to make justice a lived experience and to resolve conflicts with wisdom rather than bitterness,” he added.

The President of the College of Arbitrators Nigeria Ltd/Gte, Chief Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), commended Governor Mbah’s forward-thinking leadership and support for the colloquium, noting that it reflected his commitment to innovative governance.

“It is our expectation that this event will provoke deep conversations on the role of courts in ADR, the African perspective of dispute resolution, lessons for international arbitration, and the potential of ADR to enhance restorative justice,” Ikwueto said.

He stressed that African societies had long possessed indigenous systems that preserved social harmony and prevented long-standing disputes.

Also speaking, Justice Emeka Okuma of the Anambra State Judiciary emphasized broader stakeholder engagement in arbitration, arguing that ADR — being rooted in consent — should take precedence in many disputes.

“Our forefathers adopted this system to ensure peace and stability. It is indigenous, practical, and effective,” he noted.

Other notable speakers included the Enugu State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kingsley Udeh (SAN); 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.

The colloquium, which drew legal luminaries, scholars, and traditional leaders, ended with a renewed call for a justice model that blends Africa’s age-old wisdom with modern legal innovation — with Enugu State taking the lead.