Nigeria has been, and
continues to be, the scene of multiple conflicts at local, national and
regional levels for at least a decade. These conflicts have led to the
breakdown of the Nigeria as a country. Human lives are lost, infrastructure is
destroyed, education and health services have suffered, and the environment is
damaged.
The tie that previously linked Nigerians is broken, social solidarity
and cohesion has
collapsed, and political tension is generated. In addition,
socio-economic development is severely retarded as a result of the consequence
of conflict. In conflicts such as these, the influence of the traditional
African ethics in conflict resolution plays an important role in solving
conflict in Nigeria peacefully, and in establishing positive conditions of
Nigerians life, freedom, dignity, right and development.
Moreover, the role of
traditional African ethics, before the colonial period, was to consider moral
conduct in terms of attitude toward life, and encompasses issues of human
dignity and respect, within the understanding that an individual’s humanity
interconnects with the dignity and humanity of others. Good is whatever
protects and promotes human life, evil is that which destroys or alters human
life.
Life is the supreme value in traditional African societies, and
expresses itself in respect for humanity. The basis of this concern for human
life is the African belief in the dignity of every human being. One word
expresses this notion of dignity: Ubuntu (humanity). The concept of Ubuntu is
the key to an understanding of traditional African ethics.
It means weight,
solidity, and consistency, as in the Hebrew notion of the Kabod of Yahweh1. In
African ethics, a person fulfils his/her humanity (humanness) when he/she is
capable of respect of own and others’ humanity.
Kabod means glory. This
word derived from the word deb or Kabed, which means heavy or weighty. It is
also used for liver or heart, pointing to the internal source of life. Kabod
can be paraphrased as “awe inspiring Glory, which incorporates, power, majesty,
might and wealth. It is the notion of humanity that constitutes the foundation
Ubuntu.
Any conduct that does not respect the dignity of human life is bad;
whatever contributes to the protection and the intensification of human life is
good. Conflict in Nigeria is bad because it is a conduct of disgrace. It
divides the Nigerian population by undermining interpersonal and social trust,
above all destroying the social norms, values and institutions that have
regulated and coordinated cooperation and collective action, for the well-being
of the community.
This makes it very difficult for both the social group and
the state to recover their cohesion. Conflict disgraces human dignity and
humanity. It does not intensify human life, instead conflict is there to
diminish life and destroy infrastructure. It is, therefore, against this
background that the study sought to examine the influence that Ubuntu can exert
to solve conflict peacefully in Nigeria, to rebuild social trust, dignity, justice,
unity, freedom, and development through reconciliation, in the light of Ubuntu
as a world vision.
Although the
international community remains committed to supporting Nigeria through the
resolution of its conflict, seemingly very little has changed to date. The
country is still in conflict, as it threatens their existence, safety, security
and moral dignity. Given this situation, it becomes vital to analyse the
effectiveness of Ubuntu reflection on values, for instance consideration of the
importance of human life, freedom, dignity and rights. The question is then:
How could Ubuntu contribute in the resolution of conflict in Nigeria?
The specific objective is to analyse the
effectiveness of conflict resolution Nigeria through the influence of Ubuntu to
promote peace, freedom, human dignity and development of the nation.
Nigeria, to incorporate Ubuntu in the
resolution of their conflict for the promotion of peace, freedom, unity, human
dignity and development. Conflict resolution per se is very important on the
African continent, and particularly in Nigeria, to ensure or to promote a
better life.
In recognising that a country in which effective conflict
resolution mechanisms have been and continue to be sought, it is clear that
undertaking an analysis of their effectiveness, in the light of African ethics
in conflict resolution, is vital. Ubuntu could be an integral part of the
process of achieving positive peace and promoting social solidarity amongst
Africans, and the Nigerians themselves.
The findings will
assist policy makers and development agencies to ascertain the appropriate
conflict resolution strategies for the promotion of peace and development in
Nigeria. In addition, the study will be beneficial to other African countries
in the sense that the results will indicate areas that need to be restructured,
thereby improving the promotion of peace, human dignity, justice, unity and
development, on the continent in general, and Nigeria in particular.
Conflict is a fluid and
ambiguous concept. In Latin, conflict means ‘clash or engage in fight’.Conflict
is a multi-dimensional social process, which is a common and essential feature
of human existence. When expressed and handled constructively, conflict can act
as a catalyst for personal, socio-political and economic development and
transformation. When expressed destructively, conflict fosters violence and
affects human life, dignity, and development goals, which is the case of Borno
State.
Conflict may be either
manifest inter alia recognisably through action and behaviors, or latently, in
which case it remains dormant for some time as incompatibilities are
unarticulated or are built into systems or such institutional arrangement as
governments, corporations, or even civil society.
Forster identifies
three general forms of conflict. These are interstate, internal, and state
formation conflicts. Interstate conflicts are disputes between nation states or
violations of the state system of alliances while internal and states conflicts
are conflict that is taking place within the state and that are posing a severe
challenge to traditional conflict management techniques (it is a an intra-state
violent strife).
The international
community has become increasingly concerned with the rise in frequency and intensity
of internal conflicts, which are contributing to the expanding nature,
sophistication, and at times legitimisation, of interventionist policies.
Examples of internal and state formation conflicts include civil and ethnic
conflict, which is detrimental to human life and dignity in Africa,
anti-colonial struggles, secessionist and autonomous movements, territorial
conflicts, and battles over control of government.
Today, the focus of
attention is on global conflicts, where non-state groups combat internal and
regional organisations . Conflict can also be seen as a distinct category of
social behaviour of two parties trying to get something they both want but cannot
both have. Moreover, conflict can be apprehended as a potentiality or a
situation, as a structure or manifestation, as either an event or a process.
Hence, conflict is a social phenomenon where reality comprises multiform and
interwoven potentialities, dispositions, and powers. This conflict refers to
the prevailing pattern of political and violent conflict, and armed conflict
refers to those that involve the use of force that is detrimental to human
existence.
Finally, conflict can
be defined as the expression of disagreement over something important to both
or all sides of a dispute. In this case, the important thing to grasp is that
it is entirely dependent on the people involved. It depends on their having a
particular point of view, which may or may not have independent facts and
evidence to support it, and on how they behave when they encounter an opposing
point of view.
Thus, the desire to eradicate conflict and the hope for harmony
and universal cooperation is the wish for a frozen, unchanging world, which has
all relationships fixed in their patterns with all in balance. It is one in
which we cannot hope or plan for a better tomorrow, but can only follow our
inevitable course, which may be likened to the determined ups and downs of a
wooden horse on a merry-go-round. Indeed, this study employs the concept of
conflict, in broad terms, to describe violence, war, and all kinds of
conflicts.
The process of conflict
resolution diagnoses its nature and applies appropriate methods in order to:
1. Diffuse the negative emotional energy
involved
2. Enable the
conflicting parties to understand and resolve their differences
3. Resolve the
differences so as to achieve solutions that are not imposed, which have been
agreed to by all the parties in conflict, and which address the root cause of
the conflict to promote peace, human dignity, unity, justice, and development.
Conflict resolution has
been developed as a field since the 1950s and its emergence as an
interdisciplinary field can be traced to human relations and inter-group
movements, which followed the Second World War. He further argues that the
creation of conflict resolution, as an academic discipline and field of
practice, grew out of industrial and labor management. Out of this movement,
several intervention approaches are being developed and applied to different
levels of conflict.
However, the main processes of conflict resolution are
conciliation, facilitation, negotiation, mediation, and arbitration.
Indeed, not all conflicts are harmful. Some
may ultimately result in a positive impact on development or social change,
although conflicts have negative connotations, many constitute an essential
creative element for changing societies and achieving peace, a better life,
development goals, and aspirations of individuals and groups.
The most
effective forms of conflict resolution identify the underlying causes of the
conflict and address them through solutions that are mutually satisfactory,
self-perpetuating, and sustaining.
Conflict resolution can
also be practiced with a variety of emphases, including but not limited to
cooperation, non-confrontation, non-competition, and positive-sum orientation. Serious challenges are found when parties at times favour, for various reasons,
the continuation of conflict over its resolution.
In such cases, the role of
external parties can be critical in creating a balance of power, enacting
sanctions or incentives, or acting as neutral mediators or invested
facilitators. Hence, conflict resolution is a fundamental prerequisite for
peace, justice, human dignity, development and stability throughout the world.
The converse is also true in that unresolved conflict breeds underdevelopment
and instability.
The traditional African
worldview of Ubuntu is based on the values of humanness, caring, respect,
compassion, and associated values ensuring a happy and qualitative human
community life in a family spirit. Ubuntu could be described as a
community-based mindset in which the welfare of the group is greater than the
welfare of a single individual in the group Individuality, the sense of self,
is recognised as important in the concept of Ubuntu. This differs, however,
from individualism, that seeks to promote selfish interests at the expense of
others. The latter (individualism) would not be acceptable to the Ubuntu sense
of morality.
Ubuntu recognises four
attributes of being human, these are human dignity, equality, universal
brotherhood, and sacredness of life; these provide the most desirable state of
life in community-based living. Ubuntu contrasts with the more individualistic
and self-centred one of Western culture. Communalism at the core of Ubuntu
implies that the interests of the individual are subordinate to that of the
group. The community will focus on the interests of each individual member and
those activities and behaviours that will ensure the good of the group. Ubuntu
is a collective solidarity, meaning that individuals will align their interests,
activities, and loyalties to the group’s cause and well-being.
Ubuntu speaks about wholeness and compassion,
someone who is welcoming, hospitable, warm, generous and willing to
share.Ubuntu stands for a communitarian morality. The goal of that morality is
dignity, reached through personal growth and fulfilment. The participation of
the community is the essential means to personal dignity; hence, this
participation is the motive and fulfilment of the process of morality. Thus,
everything that promotes personal dignity and participation in the community is
good; everything that prevents it is bad.
In other words, the moral possibility
of Ubuntu intrinsically relates to human happiness and fulfilment within a
community. Vital aspects of violent
conflict are problems related to health and wealth; vital aspects of Ubuntu are
health and wealth. Health and wealth are states of the whole person as a
communal being
The Ubuntu-attitude
towards others is to treat the other as a self. There is no distinction between
one’s own good, and the good of the community, as far as possible; everything
is shared by the community. This attitude is the source of patience and of
tolerance of differences between people. In traditional African society, the
leaders were the shepherds of a classless people.
This attitude could be called
communitarianism, in the sense of fostering moral virtues, which bring people
together to live in respect for each other in a way that defines self-respect.
For oneself, Ubuntu takes the form of integrity, solidity or wholeness of
character and spirit that is present in one’s judgments, decisions and
feelings. This shows itself in confidence and endurance, in joyfulness and
vitality, and in a general sense of one’s own value and dignity together with others.
Thus, ethics is essentially a vision of mutual perfection and fulfilment.
Ethics provides such an insight by guidance in the concrete circumstances of
life. Like any moral ideal, Ubuntu provide rules, and guides Africans to live a
good life daily. If conflict is caused by neglect of the health of the other
and unwillingness to share wealth, Ubuntu can contribute significantly to the
prevention of violent conflict. This is also true of conflict in Nigeria.
The indigenous approach is an approach that evolved
local institutions and mechanisms, through processes of internal as well as
external dialogues, to respond to the emerging social, political, and economic
situations. That is traditional African structure such as Ubuntu, which is
based on the values of humanness, caring respect, compassion, and associated
values ensuring a happy and qualitative human community life in a family
spirit. In conflict resolution, the international community and the Nigerian
government should bring the influence of indigenous African ethics, such as
Ubuntu, to support conflict resolution in Nigeria, by including indigenous
local leaders.
In the indigenous
paradigm, conflict resolution has to include the expansion of new methods of
solving conflict in the African context, in order to promote peace, human life,
dignity, and development. The goal of including new methods is to have valuable
insights that can inform the rebuilding of social trust and restoration of the
conditions for communal coexistence.
Thus, peace, human life, dignity and
development can only be achieved through the expansion of new methods of
conflict resolution such as Ubuntu. Indeed, the indigenous approach constitutes
the glue for socio-cultural and political cohesion. The existing conflict
resolution in Nigeria is failing because there is no a proper resolution that
is linked to the traditional African ethics to stop conflict in the country
peacefully.
Traditionally one of
the five main branches of philosophy, ethics, enquires into human relationships
in terms of the problem of good and evil, in other words, the values and norms
directing human actions and interactions, participation of the community is the
essential means to personal dignity; hence, this participation is the motive
and fulfilment of the process of morality. Thus, everything that promotes
personal dignity and participation in the community is good and everything that
prevents it is bad.
In other words, the moral possibility of Ubuntu is related
intrinsically to human happiness and fulfilment within a community. This means
the demand to participate in community, yet not only for the sake of personal
fulfilment, but also for the sake of the fulfilment of the community, for only
in the community is personal fulfilment thought possible.
Could Ubuntu, in the
sense of communal dignity, help end the conflict and install peace in Nigeria?
From the concept of Ubuntu it proves that it could. From the moral concept of
Ubuntu emerge several demands for peace and the promotion of human life and
dignity.
Firstly, the demand is
that Nigerians should choose to live together in the traditional spirit of
brotherhood; a community where mutual respect and solidarity for the sake of
the health and wealth of the other is highly valued. This means a return to the
communitarian spirit, observing and obeying the rules of society for the
harmonious adjustment of the interests of the community rather than
individuals, this instills the love of nation first before selfish interest.
This presupposes settled agreements within the community, and such agreements
should not exclude anyone, rule of rule should be applied on everyone. This is
the minimum ethical behaviour required from people in support of the community.
Second, Nigerians
should be generous, hospitable, and honest amongst themselves in fostering the
health and wealth amongst each other. Concretely, this means that they must
share the resources of their community and no one should be below anyone else.
They should all be equal, because equality is the most basic principle of
Ubuntu morality. Nigerian leaders must know that killing innocent people for
their personal gain is not permissible.
The search for personal gain or
interest is not in accordance with Ubuntu. Practically traditional models of
conflict resolution, aligned to Ubuntu, should be explored. Such models should
aim at the reestablishment of relationships between the Nigerians. There must
be a holistic approach to the process, in which the whole community should be
involved, to assist on the road to peace. Nigerian leaders’ responsibility is
to guide conflict resolution processes towards an agreement, which should
reflect, as much as possible, the consensus of all the parties involved in
conflict.
Furthermore, Nigerians
should develop a form of communalism in which all the ethnic groups will find a
collective role and space in society, inclusion and equity. It is most
particularly in this respect that the concept of Ubuntu could be re-articulated
in the Nigerian context. Nigerian ethnic groups should share in the values of
Ubuntu, the values of collective solidarity, cohesion, compassion, care and
collective stewardship. Nigerians, as a people, ought to define themselves in a
positive and collective sense before the international community.
If they focus
on their similarities and not on their differences, they can achieve this sense
of a shared identity and fate. After all, how different are the
Hausa/Fulani from the Tiv; or how
different are the Yoruba’s from the Igbo’s? Indeed, Nigerians should experience
the exciting meaning of humanist communitarianism to avoid conflict between
them.
Indeed, Nigerian
leadership’s task is to create inter-ethnic trust and to overcome the tragedy
of ethnic conflict. They should create a climate among their civilians conducive
to a peaceful negotiation of an end to armed conflict, a climate of social
dignity – a climate of humane communitarianism. Thus, Nigerians need to develop
the spirit of Ubuntu in their society by respecting and accepting the values
and principles, which should be the basis for creating a collective shared
communal identity. It is also the task of Nigerian leadership to craft,
canonise and permit the values of Ubuntu to work in their society.
This will help
Nigerians to articulate a shared vision of Ubuntu, which will act as a compass
in the sea of confusion created by conflict. The appeal of Ubuntu ethics to
Nigerian people is to reconsider the value of re-appropriating traditional
African values, based upon the spirit of humanity manifested in sharing, caring
and advancing the good of society, in order to restore the authenticity of the
philosophy of communitarianism, as it is believed to have existed some
centuries ago.
This article has
attempted to articulate the influence that African ethics can bring to address
the challenges of conflict resolution in Nigeria. It has highlighted the need
for the traditional African ethic approaches in conflict resolution. It has
tried to define the concept of conflict and conflict resolution, and described
the African ethical approaches, in the light of Ubuntu, to conflict resolution.
In my own view, Ubuntu establishes a new restructured socio-political
order of continental and national unity with a common citizenship, giving rise
to a new constitutional order where the law reigns supreme where all shall
enjoy and exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms.
This is exactly what
Nigeria needs to reach self-fulfillment, peace and shared aspirations, thus
solving the nation’s problems.
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