The National Judicial Council, NJC, has commenced the training of legal practitioners in Ekiti State on the use of the Electronic Court System as part of efforts to fully digitize judicial processes in the state.
The training, organized by the NJC’s ICT Implementation Committee, brought together lawyers from the private and official bars across the three branches of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in the state.
Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Hon. Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, Hon. Justice Bamidele Omotoso described the programme as a landmark in the history of the Ekiti State Judiciary.
Justice Omotoso said the training marked the beginning of the transition of legal practitioners from analogue to digital practice. He urged lawyers to embrace the Nigerian Case Management System, NCMS, in compliance with the NJC directive.
“This is the future of legal practice. I urge all of you to reciprocate this gesture by keying into the system. The days of manual filing and physical records are gradually giving way to efficiency, speed and transparency,” he said.
The leader of the NJC delegation, Mrs. Funmi Asaolu, said the migration to digital practice would deliver significant benefits to lawyers and litigants.
According to her, lawyers in Ekiti State who take full advantage of the training will be ahead of their counterparts in other jurisdictions still relying on archaic methods of practice.
“Digital practice eliminates delays, reduces costs, and enhances access to justice. Ekiti lawyers are about to be at the forefront of this transformation,” she stated.
Earlier in the year, the Ekiti State Judiciary, under Justice Ogunmoye, held a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on the NCMS, attended by key players in the justice sector.
Present at the training were the Chairmen of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ado-Ekiti Branch, Mr. Paul Akomolafe; Ikole Branch, Mr. Ezekiel Agunbiade; and Ikere-Ekiti Branch, Mr. Ayo Daramola, as well as management and staff of the Ekiti State Judiciary, among others.
The NCMS is designed to enable e-filing, virtual hearings, and real-time case tracking in line with global best practices.
