International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue IX, September 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Peace and Conflict Resolution in Islam an Instrument for Sustainable Peaceful Coexistence in Nigeria

Muhammad Babagana^1*, Bello Tukur^2
1,2 Lecturer, Department of Islamic Studies, Yobe State University, Damaturu, Nigeria.

Abstract: Nigeria, has had her fair share of conflicts right from the Aba riots of 1929, the independence struggle of the 1950s, the election riots of the 1960s, the Kafanchan riots of the 1970s, the Matasine massacres of the 1980s, the Oodua People Congress (OPC) militancy and the Odi invasion of the 1990s, the Niger Delta militancy of 2000s to the present-day Boko Haram insurgency of the 2010s. This study is purely based on secondary source of data. The study concludes that method of peace and conflict resolution in Islamic is the perfect source of coexistence in Nigeria. The study recommends that conflict resolution in Islamic system should be welcomed by the Nigerian societies in order to live in peaceful coexistence.

Keywords: Peace, Conflict Resolution in Islam, Peaceful Coexistence, Causes of Conflict in Nigeria.

I. INTRODUCTION

Conflict can be a serious problem if it is allowed to escalate as it could create chaotic conditions, that make it nearly impossible for people to relate or live together peacefully. Thus, one school of management thought views it as a dysfunctional outcome that threatens social harmony, peaceful co-existence, economic growth and development and as such it is harmful and should be avoided as it has a negative connotation synonymous with such terms as violence, destruction and irrationality (Usoro et al, 2014).

Nigeria, has had her fair share of conflicts right from the Aba riots of 1929, the independence struggle of the 1950s, the election riots of the 1960s, the Kafanchan riots of the 1970s, the Matasine massacres of the 1980s, the Oodua People Congress (OPC) militancy and the Odi invasion of the 1990s, the Niger Delta militancy of 2000s to the present-day Boko Haram insurgency of the 2010s (Usoro et al, 2014).
Since independence, the Nigerian state has experienced series of issues that have resulted in crisis and several commissions have been set up to investigate the causes and effects of these conflicts and proffer strategies for preventing future conflicts. Conflict issues in Nigeria have revolved around revenue allocation, boundary adjustment and state creation, ethnic and religious differences, gender inequality, electoral violence, corruption, etc. These issues have thrown the nation into a state of chaos over the years. For example, the secession moves by the eastern region to create the state of Biafra was as a result of the minority apprehension of marginalisation in the Nigerian military (Olaifa, 2017).