Traditional Conflict Resolution Practices Among the Igbo of Anambra State: An Assessment

This study assesses the relevance and effectiveness of traditional conflict resolution practices among Igbo communities in Anambra State, South East Nigeria. Amid growing reliance on formal judicial systems, indigenous dispute resolution mechanisms such as the ofo oath, umunna council deliberations, and deity-sanctioned arbitration continue to play a significant role in managing interpersonal, land, and succession conflicts at the community level. The study employs an exploratory qualitative design, drawing on in-depth interviews with traditional rulers, community elders, legal practitioners, and civil society members across Onitsha, Awka South, and Idemili local government areas. Secondary data were sourced from ethnographic studies, judicial records, and published works from 2020 to 2024. The theoretical framework draws on Lederach's conflict transformation model and cultural relativism in conflict studies. Findings indicate that traditional mechanisms offer relatively swift, cost-effective, and community-accepted resolution pathways, particularly for land boundary disputes and family inheritance conflicts. However, their limitations include gender bias, inaccessibility for non-indigenes, and challenges in handling conflicts involving constitutional rights violations. The study recommends formal state recognition of traditional conflict resolution bodies, integration of traditional leaders into Nigeria's alternative dispute resolution framework, and gender-sensitisation training for traditional arbiters to enhance inclusivity. This research contributes to scholarship on pluralistic justice systems in Igbo-speaking communities of Southeast Nigeria. Keywords: traditional conflict resolution, Igbo, Anambra State, customary arbitration, indigenous practices.