CONFLICTS AND CRISES IN NIGERIA: MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION FOR PEACE BUILDING

Abstract

Conflicts and crises do not imply peace rather they are anti-peace. They stand for or symbolize problems in human society. Historically, Nigeria profiles the highest statistics of violent conflicts in Africa. These conflicts range from land disputes, resource control, and ethnic cleavages to wars of liberation. Unfortunately, the dilemma confronting Nigeria today is not really the occurrence of conflicts and crises in the real sense, but how to resolve them in such a manner as to prevent the past ones from reoccurring and contain the present ones from escalating or degenerating into full-scale war. Therefore, it is against this backdrop that this paper examines the nitty-gritty of conflicts and crises, their antecedents, and their management and resolution in Nigeria. The paper also presents methods for better management and resolution of conflicts and crises in Nigeria. Finally, the paper concludes that the traditional conflict resolution techniques such as mediation, reconciliation, adjudication, and negotiation as well as cross-examination which were employed by Africans in the past, offer great prospects for peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationships in post-conflict periods than the modern method of litigation settlements in law courts. Thus, the paper recommends among others that the Nigeria government, especially the National Assembly should make and implement policies aimed at addressing the root and trigger causes of conflicts and crises in the country.