Counsel and other supporting staff of Lagos State Office of the Administrator-General and Public Trustee were trained on mediation process in the administration and management of estates.

In her remarks at the capacity building and training, its Administrator-General, Omotola Rotimi, said considering the level of trust Lagosians reposed in the agency, all staff, right from the cleaners, and to all counsel must be professional.

Delivering her paper titled “Mediation process in the Administration of Estate”, she emphasised the importance of mediation and negotiation when dealing with the public.

The Administrator-General said the agency will not tolerate any act of misconduct from officers.

While stating some qualities of good mediators as resourcefulness, patience, firmness and emotional intelligence among others, Rotimi disclosed that it is not necessary to be a lawyer for an individual to become a chartered mediator.

On his part, a director in the Office, Akinjide Bakare stated that the training offered counsel the opportunity of having an overview of what is expected of them in terms of advising members of the public on their rights as it relates to beneficiaries and potential claimants to estates of relatives who died without a will or a will that is invalid because of legal reasons like lack of an administrator.

This is contained in a statement by Its Senior Public Affairs Officer Asanbe Gaffar.