Igbo Oral Tradition and Its Role in Conflict Resolution Among Rural Communities in Enugu State

This study examines the role of Igbo oral tradition, particularly proverbs, folktales, and communal storytelling, in mediating and resolving interpersonal and inter-community conflicts in selected rural communities in Enugu State, South East Nigeria. With increasing community tensions linked to land disputes and resource competition, indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms have gained renewed scholarly attention over the past five years. The study adopts a descriptive survey design, drawing on structured interviews and focused group discussions with elders, community heads, and youth representatives across three local government areas. Primary data are supplemented with content analysis of recorded oral narratives. Findings reveal that proverbs function as authoritative moral referees, shortening mediation timelines and commanding communal acceptance in ways that formal court systems have struggled to achieve. The research further documents a generational erosion of oral tradition knowledge among youth aged fifteen to thirty, raising sustainability concerns. Recommendations include integrating indigenous oral literature into secondary school civic education curricula in Enugu State. The study contributes to the growing literature on decolonising conflict resolution frameworks in sub-Saharan Africa, validating indigenous knowledge systems as credible alternatives to adversarial legal processes. Keywords: Igbo oral tradition, conflict resolution, proverbs, rural communities, Enugu State.