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 Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi

BENUE JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES


Traditional Institutions and the Management of Communal Conflict in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria



Abstract

This paper examines the role of traditional institutions in managing communal conflict with a particular focus on Mbaikyaa and Dzev communities of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State. It uses a Survey design and the data was analysed using Structural Functional theory.

The paper discovered that the major cause of the conflict between the Mbaikyaa and Dzev communities is contestation over land. The paper also revealed that this conflict has become a perennial issue and has caused unplanned migration, heightened insecurity and disruption of economic activities.

The paper also uncovered that Traditional Institutions in Kwande Local Government Area employed various conflict management mechanisms such as negotiation and mediation in resolving the conflict but these strategies have failed as a result of limited legal and binding authority of the traditional institution to enforce decisions, unprofessional mediatory skills of traditional institution, and lack of victim representation in the negotiation and mediation process.

The study recommends that the traditional institution should be given legal backing and be trained in professional ways of Alternative Dispute Resolution to equip them with the knowledge to handle conflicts in their domain.



Key words: Traditional Institutions, Conflict, Communal conflict, Conflict management

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