Former Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo has warned that the credibility of Nigeria’s judiciary is under threat unless urgent reforms are carried out.
Speaking in Abuja at the public presentation of Civil Litigation: A Quick Reference Guide to Substantive Law and Procedure by Oludotun Adefope-Okojie, a retired justice, Osinbajo said civil suits dragging for decades have eroded public confidence in the courts.
He recalled a case where the English Court of Appeal dismissed arguments to keep a commercial dispute in Nigeria after a former chief justice admitted that civil litigation could take 20 to 30 years.
“The English court concluded that leaving such matters unresolved in Nigeria would be catastrophic,” Osinbajo said.
He argued that the delays are driven not by lack of laws but by systemic inefficiencies.
He cited endless adjournments, preliminary objections, interlocutory appeals, and what he called “recycled legal jargon” as procedural bottlenecks that trap litigants in frustration.
“Justice under such conditions ceases to be about access, and becomes about escape,” he said.
The former vice president also spoke on challenges in legal education, revealing that although two of his children were expected to study law, none did, discouraged by what he described as “a mountain of books and overwhelming academic demands.”
Looking ahead, Osinbajo said that technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), holds the potential to transform the delivery of justice in the country.
He explained that AI tools can now analyse vast databases, draft legal opinions, assist judges in writing judgements, and seamlessly record proceedings.
“These are not possibilities of the future; they are here now. Our judiciary must embrace them, if we want timely outcomes,” he said.
Turning to the author of the book, Osinbajo congratulated Adefope-Okojie for producing the fourth edition of the 853-page reference work.
He described the book as “a landmark achievement” that will continue to guide practitioners and scholars navigating civil procedure in Nigeria.
He concluded by urging lawyers, judges, and policymakers to seize the moment for reform.
“It is only through bold changes and adoption of modern tools that our courts can reclaim the trust of the people,” he said.