A History of Social Conflict and Conflict Management in Nigeria: A Case Study of Anglican Churches in Ukwuaniland, Delta State, Nigeria (1900-1941).

Abstract

The item one on the theological debate in African Christianity would appear to be dealing with this problem of African identity. The theoretical framework employed in this study is the “Psycho-Cultural Conflict” theory which emphasizes the role of culturally induced conflict based on the fears that individuals and groups experience which force them to see threats, whether real or imagined, and to suspect the motives of others around them (Lake and Rothschild 1996). This was the case in ?kw?ànìland during the modern missionary period that necessitated a series of social conflicts between Anglicanism and ‘?kw?ànìsm’. Hence, using the case study and the historical approaches to the study of religion, this chapter is concerned about the patterns of social conflicts in an indigenous community. While identifying the stake-holders, their interests, and the attempts made to address these social issues, the study reveals that some of the social conflicts have been resolved under various conditions and that some of them that have defiled solutions are still on; each with historical lessons that may be learnt from them. This study concludes by study concludes by stating that in a peoples’ struggle for cultural identity there is the need to employ bargaining and exchange as a means of conflict resolution of which the past speaks to the present. Anglican Churches in ?kw?ànìland should take seriously the socio-cultural aspirations of the indigenes.