Abstract

The prevalence of ethno-communal conflicts and the destabilizing effects on the cooperate existence of Nigeria as well as the inability of intervening agencies to guarantee a regime of lasting peace constituted the challenge that this paper examined as the main objective. This paper therefore examined reasons for the conflicts, conflict resolution mechanisms (Traditional and Western models), and lastly analysed conflict transformation as an alternate means to peaceful coexistence in conflict prone communities in Nigeria. The study was descriptive, and relied on secondary sources of data collection while the analysis was qualitative upon which conclusions and recommendations were made. The study discovered that colonially imposed boundaries, modernization and bad governance as well as the breakdown of consensual norms occasioned most of the conflicts in Nigeria. These manifested in jettisoning traditional models for conflict resolution while the governments lacked the political will to tackle the issues of conflict and largely confused pacification with reconciliation. The study concluded that the issues of most of the conflicts such as Tiv-Jukun, Zango-Kataf, Bauchi and Saare/Tsaragi were not beyond transformation to ensure lasting peace. To overcome the inherent challenges, the study recommends a combination of Western and African traditional conflict transformation models. The combination will overcome equating pacification with reconciliation, imposition of peace treaties by government and equating ceasefire with lasting peace as well as avoiding exclusive approach in conflict management among others. The approach will therefore encourage forgiveness, granting of concession and enhancing trusting relationship among communities in conflict.