A professor of law, Tayo Bello, has cautioned against allowing artificial intelligence to undermine the human values at the heart of justice delivery, insisting that technology should strengthen, rather than replace, human judgment in alternative dispute resolution.
Bello gave the warning on Wednesday while delivering the Personality Lecture of the Faculty of Law, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, titled “The Paths of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Information Technology: What is More and What is Less?”
The lecture was organised in honour of Justice Adedotun Adedamola Grace Onibokun.
Bello, an adjunct professor of Energy Law and Arbitration at the Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law, University of Ibadan, said although artificial intelligence and other digital technologies were transforming dispute resolution, their application must remain guided by human judgment, fairness and the pursuit of justice.
“Artificial intelligence should augment the intelligence of dispute resolution without displacing the humanity of justice,” he said.
He explained that the objective of integrating technology into alternative dispute resolution should not simply be to establish technologically advanced systems, but to create processes in which technology, legal principles and human judgment complement one another.
The former Dean of the Faculty of Law at Adeleke University noted that digital technology had significantly improved dispute resolution by accelerating communication, reducing geographical barriers, facilitating electronic evidence and making virtual hearings possible.
“In this sense, there is more. There is more speed, more flexibility, more geographical reach, more data, more automation and potentially more access,” Bello said.
However, he warned that the benefits of technological advancement could be undermined if adequate attention was not given to digital exclusion, confidentiality, cybersecurity and the cultural realities of the communities where such systems were deployed.
Addressing the African context, the professor argued that dispute resolution technologies must reflect the continent’s traditional values of reconciliation, consensus-building, restoration of relationships and community participation.
He said systems designed exclusively around individualistic and adversarial approaches could fail to accommodate African methods of resolving disputes, which often place a premium on dialogue, respect for elders and the preservation of communal relationships.
Bello consequently advocated a comprehensive Nigerian Online Dispute Resolution framework that would establish minimum standards for data security, confidentiality, authentication, accessibility, procedural fairness and enforcement.
He also recommended clear policies for governing the use of artificial intelligence, stronger cybersecurity measures, digital inclusion initiatives and specialised training for alternative dispute resolution practitioners.
The professor stressed that human oversight must remain an essential component of AI-assisted dispute resolution to ensure that technological efficiency does not come at the expense of fairness and accountability.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Professor Shadrach Olufemi Akindele, described the lecture as an important opportunity to interrogate emerging developments in the legal profession and their implications for the future of justice delivery.
Akindele commended Justice Onibokun for combining her judicial career with a commitment to legal education, describing her involvement in the university’s Faculty of Law as evidence of humility and dedication to nurturing the next generation of legal professionals.
He said, “When I heard that my Lord is one of the members of the teaching faculty at the Faculty of Law, it really touched my heart because it takes humility, it also takes passion and desire to transfer knowledge to the younger ones.”
The Vice-Chancellor congratulated the honouree on the recognition and urged students to take advantage of the lecture by engaging critically with the issues raised, particularly the growing relationship between technology and the administration of justice.
Also speaking, the Oba of Ila Orangun, Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin, paid tribute to Justice Onibokun, describing her as a jurist whose integrity, professional accomplishments and commitment to legal education had brought pride to Osun State.
The monarch noted that her contributions to the judiciary and continued involvement in the training of law students demonstrated that service to society extended beyond occupying public office.
He said her career offered an important example to younger lawyers, particularly on the need to uphold integrity, professionalism and commitment to the development of the legal system.
Oba Abolarin also commended the university for recognising the contributions of distinguished personalities in the legal profession, noting that celebrating accomplished professionals could inspire younger generations to pursue excellence and public service.
Justice Onibokun, the personality honoured at the event, is a High Court judge and Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Institute of Mediators and Conciliators.
Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1984, she holds a PhD from Babcock University and has served in various public and private legal capacities before her elevation to the Bench in 2005.
Her career in the judiciary and continued engagement with legal education formed the basis of the university’s recognition.
