CMB Launches 2025 Sensitisation for Peaceful Communities

The Citizens’ Mediation Bureau (CMB) has officially flagged off its 2025 IBILE Stakeholders’ Meeting and Sensitisation Campaign across Lagos, operating under the theme: "Mediation in Challenging Times: Building Peaceful Communities Through Dialogue." The initiative aims to provide a forum for key community actors and stakeholders to strengthen peace-building efforts across the state's five divisions (IBILE). The campaign commenced in Ikorodu, marking the beginning of a broader effort to ensure free and confidential dispute resolution services are accessible to every resident.

Speaking at the launch, Mrs. Aderinsola Olanrewaju, the pioneer Permanent Secretary of the CMB, emphasized that the meeting was strategically designed to deepen collaboration across the IBILE divisions while addressing emerging conflict trends. She noted that as Lagos continues its rapid expansion, issues such as family disagreements, landlord-tenant disputes, workplace crises, and commercial claims are on the rise, necessitating a reliable, non-litigious alternative for resolution.

​Mrs. Olanrewaju underscored the increasing necessity of mediation as a tool for accessible and efficient justice for all residents. She highlighted that mediation remains a reliable alternative to courtroom litigation because it saves time, resources, and most importantly, preserves relationships between the disputing parties. The CMB's consistent success serves as a clear indication of the government’s commitment to making justice pragmatic and readily available.

​Further enriching the forum, the keynote speaker, Mrs. Omotola Rotimi, former Director of the CMB, provided attendees with invaluable, practical insights into effective conflict resolution techniques and the crucial process of de-escalation. Concurrently, Mr. Ade Ayeni, Vice Chairman of Igbogbo Bayeku LCDA, strongly urged residents to abandon self-help methods and instead fully utilize the CMB’s established and easily accessible services to address their grievances in a structured and impartial manner.

The Royal Father of the Day, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo Kingdom, appreciated the CMB’s vital outreach, emphasizing that the Igbogbo community prioritizes effective conflict resolution as instrumental in maintaining local peace and harmony. The sensitisation flag-off brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), NGOs, traditional leaders, local government officials, and community residents, showcasing the comprehensive nature of the peace-building effort.