The President, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC), Dr. Agada John Elachi, Ph.D., FICMC, FCIArb (UK), on Wednesday July 13, extoled the exemplary innovation and leading role of the Enugu branch of the institute.
In his words, “I am proud to say that the Enugu Branch has always been and continues to demonstrate its capacity to be a trailblazer. Well-done Enugu.”
Dr. Elachi, spoke as the Chief Host at the 2022 edition of a flagship event of the Enugu Branch, the ICMC Annual Lecture Series, which was held at the Umezulike Auditorium, High Court Complex, Enugu.
He said that ICMC is a professional body of over eleven thousand (11,000) Practitioners drawn from different professional backgrounds and orientations in Nigeria with core mandate to train, conduct accreditation and certification of prospective candidates, encourage organizations and institutions to adopt Mediation and Conciliation as primary mechanisms for addressing disputes. ICMC is also charged with the standardization and promotion of the practice of mediation.
On the theme for the lecture, “Stemming the Tide of Agitation and Insecurity Through Mediation” Dr. Elachi observed that Nigeria is beset with daunting challenges, however, ICMC is poised to engender constructive dialogue aimed at resolving these challenges. He said:
“It is now common knowledge that Nigeria has been beset with the highest degree of agitation and level of insecurity since independence. There are concerns that we are at a precipice and that things will soon boil over. One of the core mandates of ICMC is promoting dialogue around such issues of agitation and insecurity with a view to help provide the template by which they can be addressed.”
Dr. Elachi, however, expressed confidence that distinguished and erudite Prof. Emeka Aniagolu, the lecture’s Keynote Speaker, will not only do justice to the theme but also provide roadmap on how stakeholders’ focus can be moved to peacebuilding and peacemaking through the mainstreaming of mediation practice.
He listed the focal points of ICMC to include the institute’s five-year strategic action plan (SAP) which was launched in 2021 and aimed at providing operational guidelines for the coming years. The initiative has impacted tremendously on ICMC and its members.
In accordance with the SAP, ICMC launched the Volunteer Mediation Scheme (VMS) to provide members “the opportunity to practice their skills and deploy same for the benefit of the society through Corporate Social Responsibility.” The scheme is already operational in Abuja, Minna, Port Harcourt, Jos, Akure, and Benin.
“Enugu branch must continue to play its leadership role in the committee of branches by launching its VMS before the end of this year…
“I charge our members to support the Executive committee to bring more opportunities to the branch. In a few weeks, as a follow to the VMS, we shall be launching the ICMC ODR Platform/Centre. Enugu must and should ensure that she keys into this initiative which proposes to take dispute resolution to the next level. Please join us in achieving this,” he said.
Dr. Elachi therefore thanked the Executive Committee led by Nze Dr. Eric Omire Oluedo, FICMC, and members of Enugu branch for holding another successful annual lecture. He specially congratulated Hon. Justice Ozoemena Afojulu Raymond, on his well deserved appointment as Chief Judge of Enugu State.
Earlier, in his opening address at the event, the Chairman ICMC, Enugu Branch, Nze Dr. Oluedo, said that the lecture series is one of the numerous contributions ICMC, Enugu branch, is involved in.
He listed the 2019 successful training and induction of 34 High Court Judges and Magistrates of Enugu State as Fellows of the ICMC, Nigeria, the emergence of Enugu branch as the 2020 best branch of the Institute in Nigeria and the successful training and induction of 23 high profile candidates in Enugu State despite the Covid 19 Pandemic, End SARS Protests and the associated lockdowns and Curfews in 2020, among numerous others are some of the Institute’s contributions in peace promotion, peace preservation, peace building, peace keeping, peace restoration, peace maintenance and peace sustainability in Enugu state in particular and indeed, in the entire world.
He said:
“Our richly packaged 2021 Annual Lecture, which was sponsored by S-Mobile and attended by the highly respected Judiciary, the NBA, the German GIZ International etc., received Presidential recognition at the National Convention of the Institute at Abuja, Nov 30, 2021. We also trained and inducted Ten Fellows and seven Central Bank Staff from Abuja amongst others in 2021. We Actively participate in the Annual Settlement Weeks (ESSW) of the Enugu state Multi-Door Court (ESMDC) since its inception. Our Maiden Annual Retreat was successfully held on 12th February 2022. June 2022, we trained Central Bank and INEC staff from Abuja here in Enugu. Arrangements for the training of our remaining esteemed Judges and Magistrates which was approved for last year, is at an advanced stage. Arrangements have been concluded for the take-off of our Volunteer Mediation Scheme (VMS) and our Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Scheme this year 2022, among others.”
He pointed out that the peaceful environment the Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, provided for the citizens of Enugu State and Environs contributed immensely to the successes ICMC has recorded in its projects and programs.
Dr. Oluedo expressed strong belief that the alarming rate of Agitations and Insecurity in Nigeria and the world over, can be solved, “without our respected security outfits firing a shot, but only through Mediation.”
