The President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, CFR, has described the 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.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SADR.jpeg")
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Dr-Mo-Moses-Paul.jpg")
Justice Dongban-Mensem made the remarks at a Special Commemorative Sitting held at the Court of Appeal Port Harcourt Division in Rivers State, as part of activities marking the 50th Anniversary (Golden Jubilee) of the Court of Appeal, Nigeria.
The event was further highlighted by the official commissioning of the Court of Appeal Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre, Port Harcourt Division, a significant step in strengthening access to justice and promoting timely, efficient dispute resolution.
While officially commissioning the Centre, Justice Dongban-Mensem declared: “It is our collective responsibility and to the glory of God and in honour of the rule of law in Nigeria, I hereby cut this tape to open up the second door and alternative to litigation in our great nation.”
She said Port Harcourt Division deserved the honour of the commissioning due to its demonstrated appreciation of mediation and ADR.
Justice Dongban-Mensem noted that the Port Harcourt Division remains a key training ground for Justices, many of whom later rise to the Supreme Court.
“Many who have passed through this Division make it to the Supreme Court, and we are proud to say that,” she stated.
Recalling her time in Port Harcourt, she spoke of 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 said.
She described the briefs as “purposely and intensely prepared by learned counsel who were very committed.”
The President attributed the vibrancy of practice in the division to the economic and commercial significance of the region, noting that the Port Harcourt Division carries a particularly heavy and diverse docket, encompassing matters across several areas of law.
For the exercise, Justice Dongban-Mensem disclosed that seventeen (17) panels comprising fifty-one (51) Justices drawn from various divisions were constituted.
A total of three hundred and fifty-seven (357) appeals and two hundred and seventy-two (272) motions were listed for hearing.
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.
“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.
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.
Justice Dongban-Mensem noted that the Special Sitting was further enriched by programmes accompanying it, including the honouring of a colleague set to step out of office, Honourable Justice O. O. Daniel-Kalio, OFR.
Describing Justice Daniel-Kalio as an exceptional and hardworking jurist deserving of a special court session, she stated that 17 panels had been constituted in Port Harcourt in his honour.
“My Lord Justice Daniel-Kalio’s name,” she said, “is work after God, work, work and work. A very knowledgeable judge whose story shall be sung at the valedictory.”
She clarified that the special sitting was organised specifically to honour him.
Justice Dongban-Mensem appealed to members of the media to report Court decisions with diligence, reverence, and accuracy, warning that sensational or incorrect reporting could cause unnecessary dissension among the public.
“If you report what is not the decision of the Court, you cause unnecessary dissension among the public,” she warned.
She stressed: “We should not report to excite, but to inform and to educate.”
She appealed to lawyers to assist the Court by avoiding unnecessarily voluminous briefs and maintaining diligence in their practice.
She also urged members of the legal profession to defend the integrity of the institution, encouraging criticism only when grounded in facts and figures.
“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.
She stressed the need for Nigeria to build an indigenous jurisprudence that can be cited with pride globally.
Responding on behalf of the Bar, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Port Harcourt Branch, Mrs. Cordelia Uwuma Eke, said it was with utmost humility that she welcomed the President of the Court of Appeal and the distinguished array of jurists to Port Harcourt.
“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, Honourable Justice Obie Daniel-Kalio, JCA, the honour of a special sitting.
“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.
However, Mrs. Eke 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.
Speaking on behalf of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chief O.C.J. Okocha, OFR, SAN, JP, DSSRS, 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.
“My Lord, it is my 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.
Chief Okocha particularly commended the Court’s effort at reducing delay, noting the significance of the President’s announcement that over three hundred appeals and matters had been 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 described the initiative as a commendable gesture to ensure that many matters which ought to have been heard long ago would now be disposed of.
Justice Dongban-Mensem expressed profound appreciation to the Office of the Attorney-General of Rivers State for collaboration and support in ensuring the successful organisation of the Special Sitting, describing the process as “a tough ride.”
She also acknowledged the goodwill of the Attorney-General of Bayelsa State as part of the Port Harcourt Division.
She 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.
#FCTElection #ADC
Your voice matters. Stay and secure your polling unit.
Get your copy today and take the first step toward financial growth:👉 https://selar.co/4f16676016
_______________________________________________________________________ The Law And Practice Of Redundancy In Nigeria: A Practitioner’s Guide, Authored By A Labour & Employment Law Expert Bimbo Atilola
_______________________________________________________________________
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation
______________________________________________________________________
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LAWYERS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE
Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
Bonus:
Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.
How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626
