IGBOSCHOLARS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA

The traditional legal system which comprises oath taking, pouring of wine, divination, trial by ordeal, witnessing and so on, is saddled with the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the society. It discharges its duty by making sure that there is quick dispensation of justice. There is no doubt that modern legal system in Nigeria is inefficient in the discharge of its duty in terms of fairness, corrupt free judiciary, quick dispensation of justice and maintenance of law and order in the society. Rather, there are bribery and corruption, partiality, delay and denial of justice, exploitation, oppression that characterize modern legal system in Nigeria. Therefore, it is pertinent to uncover the salient attributes of the traditional legal system which will serve as a role model for the modern judicial system in Nigeria. The work used phenomenological method. It was descriptive and analytical. The research discovered that the traditional legal system was not expensive, yet more efficient, reliable and traditional. This accounts for Igbo people`s resilience in resorting to the traditional method of settling disputes irrespective of modern legal system’s declaration of traditional legal system illegal.

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