Indigenous Methods of Conflict Resolution among the Awori People of Nigeria: An Overview
Abstract:
This paper examines the traditional mechanisms for conflict resolution in Igbesa, an Awori speaking town located in the western part of Nigeria. It is an attempt to analyze how an indigenous African society has been managing conflicts, peacemaking and peacebuilding among its members and neighbors prior to the arrival of foreign conflict management mechanisms. Beyond ethnographic narratives, this paper provides a philosophical analysis of the fundamental jurisprudential principles underlying the indigenous conflict resolution system with some implications drawn for contemporary global liberal societies. Guided by the non-adversary principle of conflict management, and using the mechanisms of intercession, settlement, compromise, adjudication, concession and coercion, every conflict, regardless of its complexity is manageable and resolvable among the Aworis. The peoples’ indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms entail a process of thorough investigation and discussion of the claims of the parties to a conflict by the traditional governing authorities. The palace often easily resolves ordinary cases. However, difficult Yoruba cases may take complex turn by involving the expertise of ‘the Ijoru Cult Group’, the body whose duty is to enforce the decisions of the traditional authorities on complicated cases. It should be stressed, however, that the emergence of modern system of law and new religions (Christianity and Islam) has limited the practice of the old methods of conflict management among the Aworis. In order to articulate the thesis of this paper, I shall divide the work into five sections. Section one is the introduction to the paper. In section two, an exposition of the major concepts in the work such as ‘traditional mechanisms’ and ‘the Ijoru Cult Group’ shall be done. In section three, details of the traditional methods, the modus operandi and salient values shall be critically examined. Section four attempts a criticism of the methods and their reconstruction to allow for global applications in contemporary liberal and diversified ethnic system. The final section is the concluding part of the work with notes on future areas for scholarship.Â
Read or download full paper:
Journal of Living Together, 6 (1), pp. 225-233, 2019, ISSN: 2373-6615 (Print); 2373-6631 (Online).
@Article{Akomolafe2019
Title = {Indigenous Methods of Conflict Resolution among the Awori People of Nigeria: An Overview}
Author = {Mohammed Akinola Akomolafe}
Url = {https://icermediation.org/indigenous-methods-of-conflict-resolution/}
ISSN = {2373-6615 (Print); 2373-6631 (Online)}
Year = {2019}
Date = {2019-12-18}
Journal = {Journal of Living Together}
Volume = {6}
Number = {1}
Pages = {225-233}
Publisher = {International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation}
Address = {Mount Vernon, New York}
Edition = {2019}.