Skip to main content

Peace-Making, Government and Communal Conflict in Nigeria: Evidences from Ife-Modakeke Crisis

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Political Economy of Resource, Human Security and Environmental Conflicts in Africa
  • 281 Accesses

Abstract

Inter-communal conflict is a recurrent problem in Africa. This chapter presents the contextual discourse on the communal conflict in Nigeria before using Ife-Modakeke crisis as a case study for environmental conflict analysis. It conceptualized the key terms so as to explain the dynamics of communal conflict and its peace-making processes vis-à-vis government as the institutional mediator. It reviewed the existing studies on environmental conflicts and communal resolution with theoretical underlying assumptions. It showed that competition over land resource is central in the Ife-Modakeke environmental crisis. The chapter argued that peace-making processes demand gross attention of government in non-partisan mediation perspective. It, however, X-rayed the possible roles of government in peace-making process as well as its commitments. In concretizing the government efficacy, adaptable peace-making principles were discussed for communal conflict resolution within the socio-political space of Nigeria and beyond. This chapter concluded that government mandates, amidst other potentials, have significant current and future human rights conditions that must be respected by conflicting communities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdulrahman, I., & Tar, U. A. (2008). Conflict Management and Peacebuilding in Africa: The Role of State and Non-state Agencies. Information, Society and Justice 1 (2): 185–202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Afolayan, A. A. (1998). Emigration Dynamics in Nigeria: Landlessness, Poverty, Ethnicity and Differential Responses. USA: Ashgate Publishing Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Agbe, A. G. (2001). The Ife Modakeke Crisis: An Insider View. Ife Psychologia 9(3): 14–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Aguda, A. S. (2001). “The Effect of Communal Conflict and Violence on Urban Residential Segregation.” A paper presented at the International Conference on Security, Segregation and Social Networks in West African Cities 19th to 20th centuries Organised by the French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA) and Institute of African studies and Centre for Urban and Regional Planning, University of Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria 29th to 31st October 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  • Akinjogbin, I. A. (1992). “Ife: The Years of Travail 1793–1893”, in I. A. Akinjogbin (ed.) The Cradle of Race: Ife from Beginning to 1980. Port Harcourt: Sunray Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Akinteye, A., Wuye, J. M., & Ashafa, M. N. (2001). “Zango-Kataf Crisis: A Case Study”, in A. Ogomudia (ed.) Peace Support Operations, Command and Professionalism: Challenges for the Nigerian Armed Forces in the 21st Century and Beyond. Ibadan: Gold Press Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Albert, I. O. (1999). “Ife-Modakeke Crisis”, in O. Otite, & I. O. Albert (eds.) Community Conflict in Nigeria: Management, Resolution and Transformation. Ibadan: Spectrum Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Albert, I. O. (2001). “USAID/OTI Nigeria Intervention in Ife-Modakeke Conflict”, in I. O. Albert (ed.) Building Peace, Advancing Democracy: Experience with Third-party Interventions in Nigeria’s Conflicts. Ibadan: John Archers (Pub.) Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Albert, I. O. (2007). “Concepts and Methods in Peace and Conflict Studies”, in C. Bassey & O. Oshita (eds.) Conflict Resolution, Identity Crisis and Development in Africa. Lagos, Nigeria: Malthouse Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, T. D. (1999). Developing Effective Mentoring Relationships: Strategies from the Mentor’s Viewpoint. The Career Development Quarterly 49 (1): 59–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asiyanbola, A. R. (2007). Urban-Ethno Communal Conflict in Africa: Nigeria. A paper submitted for presentation at the Union for Africa Population Studies (UAPS) Fifth African Population Conference, Arusha.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asiyanbola, R. A. (2010). Ethnic Conflicts in Nigeria: A Case of Ife-Modakeke in Historical Perspective. Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences and Creative Arts 5 (1): 61–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Astor, H. (1991). Mediation and Violence Against Women. National Committee on Violence Against Women December 1991, ACT: CPN Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Astor, H. (1994) Violence and Family Mediation Policy. Australian-Journal of Family Law 8: 3–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Augsburger, D. W. (1992). Conflict Mediation Across Culture: Pathway and Pattern. Alouisville, Kentucky: Westminister John Knox Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayokunle, F., Eze, B., & Okechukwu, I. (2004). Conflict Monitoring in Nigeria: Developing Civil Society Action for Early Warning and Early Response. Nigeria: West Africa Networks for Peacebuilding Nigeria.

    Google Scholar 

  • Babajimi, P. (2003). “Ife-Modakeke Conflicts in Osun State”, in T. A. Imobighe (ed.) Civil Society and Ethnic Conflict Management in Nigeria. Ibadan: Spectrum Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Babangida, I. B. (2002). “Ethnic Nationalities and the Nigerian State: The Dynamics and Challenges of Governance in a Plural Nigeria”. A Distinguished Annual Lecture Delivered at National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Nigeria.

    Google Scholar 

  • Babbie, E. (2009). The Practice of Social Research. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Best, S. G. (ed.) (2005). Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies in West Africa—A Reader. Ibadan: Spectrum Books Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bevan, N. (2008). Proceedings of Meaningful Measures: Valid Useful User Experience Measurement (VUUM), 5th COST294-MAUSE Open Workshop, 18th June 2008, Reykjavik, Iceland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Black, L. & Avruch, H. (1989). Governance and Development. USA: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boege, V. (2006). Traditional Approaches to Conflict Transformation: Potential and Limits. Berghof Research Centre for Constructive Conflict Management. http://www.berghof-handbook.nd (Accessed on March 10, 2010).

  • Boone, C. (2014). Property and Political Order in Africa: Land Rights and the Structure of Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boulding, E. (2002). A Journey into the Future: Imagining a Non-violent World, Peace and Conflict Studies 9 (1), Article 4

    Google Scholar 

  • Boulle, L. (1996) Mediation: Principles, Process and Practice. Sydney: Butterworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosché, M. (2014). Cultural Diversity in African Conflict. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton John W. (1993). “Conflict Resolution as a Political Philosophy”, in Dennis J. D. Sandole & Hugo van der Merwe (eds.) Conflict Resolution Theory and Practice: Integration and Application. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton, J. (1997). Violence Explained. Manchester: University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cajvaneanu, E. F. (2011). Resolving Public Conflict, Transforming Community and Governance. New York: Manchester University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Cederman, L., Wimmer, A. & Min, B. (2010). Why Do Ethnic Groups Rebel? New Data and Analysis. World Politics 62 (1): 87–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, C. & Kagaha, A. (2009). Resolving Conflicts using Traditional Mechanisms in the Karamoja and Teso regions of Uganda. London: Minority Rights Group International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collier, P. & Sambanis, N. (2002). Understanding Civil War: A New Agenda. Journal of Conflict Resolution 46 (1): 3–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coser, L. (2006). The Function of Social Conflict: A Review. New York: Free Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox, J. P. (2016). The Urban Order: An Introduction to Cities, Culture and Power. USA: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, G. (2004). Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding and Peacemaking: Concepts, Complications and Canadian’s Role. Canada: Parliamentary Research Branch.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, J. C. (2016). Nice to know you? Testing contact, cultural, and group threat theories of anti-black and anti-hispanic stereo-types. Social Science Quarterly 85, 257–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eaton, D. (2008). ‘The Business of Peace: Raiding and Peace Work Along the Kenya-Uganda Border’ (Part I & II). African Affairs 107 (426–427): 89–110, 243–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elfversson, E. (2015). Providing Security or Protecting Interests? Government Interventions in Violent Communal Conflicts in Africa. Journal of Peace Research 52 (6): 791–805.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, F. (1996). Rural Livelihoods and Diversity in Developing Countries. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farah, A. Y. (1999). Roots of Reconciliation: Local Level Peace Processes in Somaliland. Alliances for Africa Bulletin November.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fortna, V. P. (2003). Inside and Out: Peacekeeping and the Duration of Peace After Civil and Interstate Wars. International Studies Review 5 (4): 97–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank, M. L. (2002). Organizational Commitment Across Three Sectors: Public, Non-Profit, and For-Profit. Public Personnel Management 31 (2). https://doi.org/10.1177/009102600203100206.

  • Ikelegbe, A. (2006). Beyond the Threshold of Civil Struggle: Youth Militancy and Militia-ization of the Resource Conflicts in the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria. African Study Monograph 27 (3).

    Google Scholar 

  • Imobighe, A. T. (2003). “Ethnicity and Ethnic Conflicts in Nigeria: An Overview”, in A. T. Imobighe (ed.) Civil Society and Ethnic Conflict Management in Nigeria. Ibadan: Spectrum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalyas, C. (2003). A Theory of Joint Asset Ownership, RAND Journal of Economics 34 (1): 56–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamat, S. (2003). The NGO Phenomenon and Political Culture in the Third World. Development 46 (1): 88–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lake, D. A. & Rothchild, D. (1996). Containing Fear: The Origins and Management of Ethnic Conflict. International Security 21 (2): 41–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamidi, K. O. (2019a). Challenges of Local Governance Institutions on Peacebuilding in Africa: Empirical Insights from Southwestern Nigeria. Global Journal of Social Sciences. Calabar, Nigeria. 18 (1): 95–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamidi, K. O. (2019b). Peacebuilding: Conceptual, Trajectory and Imperative Analyses in the Third World Countries. Canadian Social Science 15 (2): 53–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamidi, K. O. (2019c). Communal Conflict, Communal Peacemaking and Governmental Interventions: Lessons from the Ife-Modakeke Crisis. African Journal on Conflict Resolution 19 (2): 11–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamidi, K. O. (2020). Localism and Peacebuilding Mechanisms in African Countries. Peace Studies Journal 13 (2): 10–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamidi, K. O. (2021). An Evaluation of Peacebuilding Strategies in Southwestern Nigeria: Quantitative and Qualitative Examples. Journal of African Conflict and Peace Studies 4 (2): 7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Menkhaus, K. (2008). “Somalia: Governance Versus State-Building”, in T. Charles (ed.) Building States to Build Peace. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mkutu, K. (2008). Guns & Governance in the Rift Valley: Pastoralist Conflict & Small Arms. Oxford: James Currey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montville, J. V. (1993). “The Healing Function in Political Conflict Resolution”, in Dennis J. D. Sandole & Hugo van der Merwe (eds.) Conflict Resolution Theory and Practice Integration and Application. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, C. (1996). The Mediation Process. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers

    Google Scholar 

  • Murdie, A. & David, R. D. (2010). Problematic Potential: The Human Rights Consequences of Peacekeeping Interventions in Civil Wars. Human Rights Quarterly 30 (1): 49–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray, C. B. (1993). Moral Reasoning in Social Context. Journal of Social Issues 49 (2): 185–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noll, D. (2013). What is Peacemaking? Toronto: Centre for Urban and Community Studies

    Google Scholar 

  • Oladoyin, A. M. (2001). State and Ethno-communal Violence in Nigeria: The Case of Ife-Modakeke. African Development 26: 195–223.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olaleye, I. O. (2016). Traditional Institutions and Conflict Management in Ekiti State. Being a Thesis Submitted to the Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Administration, in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of Master of Science (M.Sc.) Degree in Public Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olayiwola, S., & Okorie, N. (2010). Integrated Education: An Instrument for Resolving Ife-Modakeke Conflict in Osun State, Nigeria. Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences 2: 953–965.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osaghae, E. E. (2006). Colonialism and Civil Society in Africa: The Perspective of Ekeh’s Two Publics. The Johns Hopkins University: International Society for Third-Sector Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Otite, O. & Albert, I. (1999). Community conflict in Nigeria: Management, Resolution and Transformation. Ibadan: Spectrum Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Park, R. E. & Burgess, E. W. (2011). Introduction to the Science of Sociology: Redefined. Chicago: University of Chicago Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Peksen, D. (2012). Does Foreign Military Intervention Help Human Rights? Political Research Quarterly 65 (3).

    Google Scholar 

  • Raimi, A. (2010). Identity Issues in Urban Ethno-Communal Conflict in Africa. An Empirical Study of Ife-Modakeke Crisis. African Sociological Review 8 (2): 45–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramsbotham, O., Woodhouse, T. & Maill, H. (2006). Contemporary Conflict Resolution: The Prevention, Management and Transformation of Deadly Conflict. Cambridge: Polity Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Salim, S. A. (1997). Group Unveils Broad Restructuring. AWSJ 16 (July): 44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scimecca, J. A. (1993). Theory and Alternate Dispute Resolution: A Contradiction in Terms? In HRM 540 Theory of Conflict Resolution: Study Guide Module 1, (1998) Charles Sturt University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Svensson, I. (2007). Fighting with Faith: Religion and Conflict Resolution in Civil Wars. The Journal of Conflict Resolution 51 (6): 930–949.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toriola, O. J. (2001). The Ife-Modakeke Crisis: An Insider View. Ife Psychologi A9: 21–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walter, B. F. (2004). Does Conflict Beget Conflict? Explaining Recurring Civil War. Journal of Peace Research 41 (3).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson, R. G. (2006). Income Inequality and Population Health: A Review and Explanation of the Evidence. Social Science & Medicine 62 (7): 1768–1784.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Lamidi, K.O. (2021). Peace-Making, Government and Communal Conflict in Nigeria: Evidences from Ife-Modakeke Crisis. In: Ani, K.J., Ojakorotu, V., Bribena, K. (eds) Political Economy of Resource, Human Security and Environmental Conflicts in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2036-2_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics