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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Court of Appeal has commenced special sittings in the Port Harcourt division, Rivers State, as part of activities marking it’s 50 years anniversary.
President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem disclosed that 17 panels comprising 51 Justices drawn from various divisions of the court were constituted to entertain 357 appeals and 272 pending motions.
The panels, she said, would sit throughout the week in scheduled sessions, with some sitting at the Port Harcourt Division and others at the High Court Complex.Due to inadequate accommodation, morning and afternoon sessions were also scheduled.
Justice Dongban-Mensem expressed appreciation to the Chief Judge of Rivers State for graciously providing courtrooms for the exercise, a gesture she said facilitated the smooth conduct of proceedings.
She urged learned counsel and parties to approach the sitting with diligence and preparedness, ensuring processes were in order and issues capable of causing delays addressed in advance.
The President noted that the panels were carefully constituted to ensure effective case management and meaningful deliberation in line with the Court’s traditions.
She further highlighted the heavy workload borne by Justices, explaining that the Court was scheduled to handle hundreds of cases in one week, requiring extraordinary effort beyond open court proceedings.
The jurist appealed to lawyers to assist the Court by avoiding unnecessarily voluminous briefs and maintaining diligence in their practice.
She equally urged members of the legal profession to defend the integrity of the institution, encouraging criticism only when grounded in facts and figures.
Other highlights of the event include the official commissioning of the Court of Appeal Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre, Port Harcourt division, which Justice Dongban-Mensem described as “a significant step in strengthening access to justice and promoting timely, efficient dispute resolution”.
In all of these, an elated President of the Court of Appeal, who gave glory to God Almighty for the privilege of convening the special session, described the occasion as a significant opportunity for the Court to reflect on its enduring contributions to Nigeria’s jurisprudence and to renew its commitment to the faithful discharge of its constitutional mandate in the service of justice and the nation.
She noted that the special sitting was organised specifically to honour Justice O.O. Daniel-Kalio, who is set to retire from office.
While describing Justice Daniel-Kalio as an exceptional and hardworking jurist deserving of a special court session, she stated that 17 panels has been constituted in Port Harcourt in his honour.
“My Lord Justice Daniel-Kalio’s name “is work after God, work, work and work. A very knowledgeable judge whose story shall be sung at the valedictory,” Justice Dongban-Mensem stated.
The President acknowledged the presence of Justices from various divisions of the Court, the Attorney-General of Rivers State, former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association and the Body of Benchers, Chief O.C.J. Okocha, SAN, the Chairman of the NBA Port Harcourt Branch, other Senior Advocates of Nigeria, lawyers, litigants, members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, and other guests.
The President further revealed that the presiding Justice of the Port Harcourt division had been persistently requesting a special session for several months due to the large volume of pending cases in the division.
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Although she noted that the Court had sent “one or two people to help out,” She expressed delight that Justices were happy to be in Port Harcourt in their numbers, adding that all the Presiding Justices of the Court were present both to honour Justice Daniel-Kalio and to support the Division.
She stated that the exercise reflected the Court’s continuing commitment to enhancing the effective administration of justice, particularly through deliberate efforts aimed at addressing the growing volume of pending appeals across its divisions.
“I am pleased to note that the Port Harcourt Division is the second Division, after Lagos, to benefit from this special intervention initiative, in honour of our golden jubilee celebration,” she said.
The President described Port Harcourt Division as occupying a notable place in the Court’s history, serving as a judicial home and grooming ground for many Justices, including herself.
She recalled with nostalgia, her working experience in Port Harcourt, highlighting the intellectual vibrancy of legal practice in the jurisdiction.
“I always looked forward to reading briefs from lawyers from the Port Harcourt Division, because I was also just strengthening my teeth… I was the baby of the Court then.”
She also spoke extensively on the importance of continuous learning among Justices and lawyers, urging openness to correction and improvement.
“Sometimes we feel we know it all, but we don’t. Nobody knows it all,” she reminded, advising lawyers to be receptive and committed to professional growth.
In her concluding remarks, Justice Dongban-Mensem appreciated her brother Justices for their sacrifice and unwavering commitment to duty, commending all staff of the Court and the Judges of the Port Harcourt High Court for relinquishing their offices, court halls, and chambers for the week.
Responding on behalf of the Bar, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Port Harcourt Branch, Mrs. Cordelia Uwuma Eke, noted that convening the special panels was a practical way of fast-tracking justice delivery in the jurisdiction, as it would accelerate access to justice for litigants and also provide lawyers the opportunity to have their matters heard.
“Indeed, what is being done today… is a way of fast-tracking justice in this jurisdiction and of course accelerating access to justice for litigants,” she said.
However, she appealed that such interventions should continue, while also calling for a lasting solution through the appointment of more Justices to the Court of Appeal so that the facilities available in Rivers State could be fully utilised.
“We would however appeal that this will continue… and we pray for a lasting solution. We would like to see the appointment of more Justices to the Court of Appeal,” she added.
The NBA Chairman described the event as a honour for the Bar and the entire jurisdiction to host such a special sitting, noting that it was the first time she was witnessing such an intervention as Chairman.“It is indeed with utmost humility that I welcome Your Lordships to Port Harcourt.
It is a singular honour for all of us to host such a distinguished array of jurists in our jurisdiction,” she said.
Mrs. Eke expressed deep gratitude to the President of the Court of Appeal for according one of their own, Justice Obie Daniel-Kalio, the honour of a special sitting, describing the occasion as one that truly gladdened the hearts of members of the Bar.
“We are grateful to the President for according one of our own this honour… It is a day that really gladdens our hearts that we have been so honoured in such a way,” she stated.
Speaking on behalf of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chief O.C.J. Okocha, (SAN), described the arrangement as a deliberate intervention put in place immediately after a similar exercise in Lagos, aimed at decongesting the large number of appeals, motions and other matters pending before the Port Harcourt division.
He acknowledged the heavy burden borne by the Justices, who must sit patiently and soberly to listen to counsel engaged in litigation as they present cases on behalf of their clients, while commending the Court’s effort at reducing delay and backlog with over three hundred appeals and matters slated for hearing within the special period.
“We are specially grateful because this current effort. if we are lucky and we all cooperate, maybe concluded within this special period that the Court has provided for us,” he said.
He said it was a honour to rise on behalf of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria here present to say a word of welcome to Your Lordship and all the Justices that have come for this special arrangement,” he said.
