Land as the Main Cause of Inter-communal Conflicts in Africa; Key Natural Resource against Community Development of Third World Nations?

Abstract

This paper examines the role of land in inter-communal conflicts (IC) in southwestern Nigeria. It purposefully selected eight communities with recurrent IC in the region for questionnaire administration, targeting 10% of their household heads. Study reveals that most of the residents identified land as the main cause of IC. It notes that government's grip over land in the area was weak, as most of the residents acknowledged that individual families and community leaders monitored the affairs of land in the region and that strangers have no full right to indigenous land. This could be why most past recorded conflicts erupted when people rose to fight for their rights on land. In this regards, the policy makers of Nigeria need to review the effectiveness of the country's land laws and their applications at the regional and local levels. To avoid complications, selected community leaders must be involved in the process.

Keywords: Land, conflict, community development, administration, settlements