The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, today declared open a five-day workshop on trial Advocacy for law officers of the Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Lagos State Ministry of Justice.
The advocacy workshop will focus on the criminal and civil implication, examination and cross-examination of an expert witness, employment issues and instituting cases at the National Industrial Court.
The Governor, represented by Mr. Sesan Ogundeko, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Government Relations, described the training programme as a significant step forward in his administration’s ongoing commitment to ensuring access to Justice for all Lagosians, particularly the most vulnerable.
He commended the Honourable Commissioner/Attorney General, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, for his unwavering commitment to redefining Justice in the state through his visionary leadership and support of meaningful reform.
“The OPD is undergoing a remarkable transformation; this advocacy for technology integration and alternative dispute resolution methods has enhanced efficiency, accessibility and alignment with international best practices”, he stated.
Mr. Governor commended the Director of the Office of the Public Defender, Mrs. Olubunmi Adenike Adesomoju, for her dedication and hard work in continuing the tradition of excellence for which the Office is synonymous and for coordinating the activities of OPD to meet the goals of government.
“This training programme aligns with our vision of providing world-class legal services by empowering the Office of the Defender with access to advanced legal resources such as forensic analysis, and crime scene investigation reports, we are preparing them to tackle the most complex legal challenges with confidence and skill, this will ensure that they continue to deliver exceptional legal services and achieve positive results for their client”, Sanwo-Olu stated.
In his remarks, the Lagos State Honourable Commissioner for Justice/Attorney General, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, disclosed that the journey of the Office of the Public Defender has been one of resilience, growth and unwavering dedication to Justice.
He said that the OPD, which started as a small unit in the Directorate for Citizen’s Rights in 1999 with a mission to provide legal representation for indigent individuals in criminal matters, has evolved into a fully autonomous Agency with a broad mandate.
He further said that the Agency today stands as a beacon of hope for the oppressed, the marginalised, and those who would otherwise have no voice in the corridor of Justice.
In his words, “As part of the THEMES Plus Agenda under the current administration, the Lagos State Government has prioritised social inclusivity, gender equality and youth empowerment. The OPD is at the forefront of this Agenda, providing free legal services to children, women and people living with disabilities”.
“In a state as diverse as ours, where challenges of inequality and Justice abound, the work of the OPD is critical. It embodies the essence of what it means to be our brother’s keeper, ensuring that the vulnerable have advocates who will fight for them”, the Attorney-General added.
He expressed gratitude to the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and Jones Day, an American multinational law firm based in Washington, D.C., stating that their support has been invaluable in enhancing the capacity of the Office of the Public Defender.
The Commissioner also extended his warm welcome to participants from Ethiopia and Ghana who were in Lagos to learn from the Lagos OPD experiences, stressing that the state government is happy to share its knowledge with others while fostering a spirit of cooperation that transcends borders.
Pedro expressed heartfelt appreciation and congratulations to the esteemed Governing Council of the Office of the Public Defender for the tremendous growth and success of the OPD over the years due to their visionary leadership commitment and dedication to Justice.
The Director of OPD, Mrs. Olubunmi Adesomoju, earlier in her remarks, disclosed that the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) is a leading provider of legal advocacy skills training with over 40 years of experience, adding that the institute is a non-profit organisation based in Boulder, Colorado and has pioneered the legal skill learning by doing methodology that has remained the ultimate standard in legal education today.
She recalled that since 2016 and every year that followed except 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the Office of the Public Defender in collaboration with the institute has trained over 700 participants, some of them include counsel drawn from every Department of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Judges and Magistrates of the Lagos State Judiciary among others.
She thanked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Honourable Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, for their exceptional support towards the tremendous progress achieved by OPD. She also extended her appreciation to NITA and JONES Day for their support in making the training a reality.
