In continuation of the Statewide Legal Clinic outreach to ensure access to qualitative legal consultation at no cost, the Lagos State Ministry of Justice has extended the exercise to Ikorodu community.

Speaking during the program at the auditorium of Ikorodu Central Local Government, the Assistant Director, Community Service, Kuforiji Olawale, said the initiative is meant to educate and sensitise the public about their fundamental rights and appropriate agencies to consult whenever such rights are violated.

Olawale reiterated that the Joint Legal Clinic team, made up of all legal service oriented departments and agencies in the Ministry, which include: Office of Public Defender (OPD), Citizens’ Mediation Centre (CMC), Public Advice Centre (PAC), Community Service Unit, Office of the Administrator-General & Public Trustee (AG&PT), Directorate of Citizens Rights (DCR) and the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) were all on ground to render their services free of charge.

In his explanation of the functions of Community Service, he said the department is charged with the responsibility of dealing with offenders found to have committed minor offences such as non-usage of the pedestrian bridges, stating that punishments like sweeping of market places and ensuring general environmental sanitation among others have been put in place to serve as deterrent, hence, there is no need for prolonged litigation in such instances.

Director, Public Advice Centre, Tunji Dawodu, stated that the free Legal Clinic is scheduled to hold in all the 5 divisions of Lagos State (Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos-Island and Epe), with the aim of reaching and providing easy access to legal consultations and representation for the indigent and vulnerable members of society.

While appreciating the Lagos State Government for the laudable initiative, Oba Richard Ogunsanya Olubeshe of Ibeshe, Ikorodu and Oba Abdul Semiu Orimadegun Kasali, the Adegboruwa of Igbogbo Kingdom, both urged the public to embrace alternative dispute resolution, noting that not all matters should be taken to court.

They also appeal that government should consider the role of traditional rulers in mediation, as this would go a long way in strengthening the institution.

Responding on behalf of the participants, Hon. Babayemisi Kehinde Fakumoju, expressed gratitude to the government for bringing the legal clinic to Ikorodu.

He said the government had done well in the areas of alternative disputes resolution in aspects such as landlord/tenant disagreement, marital issues, and employers/employees related disputes among others through the Citizen Mediation Centre (CMC) divisional office in Ikorodu, hence, decongesting the court of unnecessary litigations.