Ethnic Identity and Conflict Susceptibility Among University Students in Ibadan

This study examines the relationship between ethnic identity salience and conflict susceptibility among university students at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, in Nigeria's South West geopolitical zone. Universities are microcosms of Nigeria's broader plural society, and ethnic affiliations among student populations can at times produce tensions that undermine the academic environment and fuel wider societal divisions. Adopting a survey research design, the study collected data from 220 undergraduate students selected through stratified random sampling across six faculties, using a validated ethnic identity scale and a conflict susceptibility index. The theoretical framework draws on Social Identity Theory by Henri Tajfel and Turner, as well as the realistic group conflict theory. Findings indicate a statistically significant positive correlation between high ethnic identity salience and elevated conflict susceptibility scores, particularly in contexts involving academic resource competition and student union elections. However, the study also identifies inter-ethnic friendship networks as a buffering factor that moderates the link between ethnic identity and conflict proneness. Recommendations include implementing structured inter-ethnic co-curricular programs, training student affairs officers in conflict mediation techniques, and reducing ethnically driven criteria in student union electoral processes. The study contributes empirical data to the understanding of campus conflict dynamics within Nigerian higher educational institutions in the South West. Keywords: ethnic identity, conflict susceptibility, university students, Ibadan, social identity theory.