Benue State University, Makurdi

Ethical Approaches to Conflict Management As A Panacea to Ethno Religious Conflicts in Africa

Gabriel Salifu Ph.D

Abstract

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the world has witnessed more violent ethnic and religious conflicts than it was the case hitherto. In his classic, the clash of civilization, Huntington (1996) noted that the post-cold war years witnessed not only the end of ideological war, but dramatic changes in people’s identities and a tilting of politics toward cultural lines. Since then, Africa has experienced serious conflicts in Somalia, Liberia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote’d Ivoire, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Algeria, Rwanda, Nigeria, Eritrea, and Uganda among others. This works examined ethical approaches to conflict management as a panacea for ethno-religious conflicts in Africa. The study made use of both socio-ethical and historical approaches to achieve its aim. The research discovers that most ethno religious crises in Africa are predicated on economic change, political change, human migration and real or perceived injustice. The paper recommends that the various religious traditions in Africa should fully exploit opportunities for dialogue so as to ensure peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationships in spite of the pluralistic nature of the continent.

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