Justice for All without Litigations: Reflections on Alternative Socio-Legal Initiatives for Peace Building and Conflict Resolution in Nigeria's Multi-Ethnic Society

Nigeria, being a multi-ethnic nation encounters recurrent tensions among individuals and at community or ethnic blocs. This review paper examined the limitations of litigation or court processes in addressing all such dispute situations, and to ensure access to justice and protection of bill of rights for all citizens. The paper particularly frowned that court processes are unduly long with several adjournments and that the poor may not afford the exhorbitant services of counsels. As a way out of these and other challenges, the paper canvassed for alternative socio-legal initiatives that will stimulate peace building and facilitate speedy resolution of interpersonal as well as intra and inter community disputes in the country. Such viable alternatives or complements discussed herein include mediation, negotiation, arbitration, conflict management, pure pacifism, and adoption of traditional approaches to resolve disputes. It is envisaged that when the options are carefully harnessed, Nigerians irrespective social, political, ethnic, religious or cultural inclination will live in peace and cooperate more to achieve fulfilled livelihoods and optimum socio- economic development of the nation at large.

Keywords: Court processes, justice for all, litigations, socio-legal structures, conflict resolution.