Browsing by Author "AKANNI, Waliyu Oladotun"

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    BEYOND WESTERN PARADIGMS: INDIGENOUS AFRICAN APPROACHES TO CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SOCIAL COHESION
    (Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Agbani, Enugu State (ESUT), 2026-05) AKANNI, Waliyu Oladotun
    This study examines indigenous African conflict resolution mechanisms with a view to highlighting their philosophical foundations, procedural dynamics, and contemporary relevance. Drawing on qualitative and doctrinal analysis of existing literature, the paper argues that traditional African societies developed robust, culturally embedded systems for managing disputes long before colonial intervention. These systems—ranging from mediation, adjudication, negotiation, diplomacy, conciliation, to consensus-building—are deeply rooted in communal values, spirituality, and restorative justice principles. The study demonstrates that indigenous mechanisms prioritize reconciliation, social harmony, and long-term relationship preservation over adversarial outcomes of retributive justice. The paper further explores specific examples across African societies, including Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo traditions in Nigeria, illustrating how oral traditions such as proverbs, folktales, wise sayings and rituals serve as instruments of peacebuilding and social control. Despite their effectiveness, the study identifies critical limitations, including a lack of formal legal recognition, gender exclusion, generational decline in interest, and procedural informality. The findings suggest that while modern conflict resolution frameworks in Africa often rely heavily on external models, indigenous systems offer contextually relevant, cost-effective, and sustainable alternatives. The paper concludes that integrating traditional mechanisms with formal legal systems could enhance peacebuilding efforts across the continent. It recommends policy reforms, institutional recognition, and inclusive restructuring to strengthen the applicability of indigenous conflict resolution systems in contemporary Africa. Key Words: Traditional Mechanism, Indigenous System, Conflict, African, Nigeria
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    LOCALIZED PEACE IN A WEAPONIZED ENVIRONMENT: INTERROGATING COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PEACEBUILDING MECHANISMS AGAINST ARMED BANDITRY IN NIGERIA'S NORTHWEST
    (Centre for Democracy, Peace and Conflict Resolution (CDPCR), Federal University Dutsin-ma, Katsina State, 2026-02) AKANNI, Waliyu Oladotun; YUSUF, Tawakalitu Bola
    The protracted armed banditry and its associated threats to peace and security are gradually turning Nigeria's Northwest into another regional theatre of violence. There is palpable tension and heightened fear of possible replica in the magnitude of Boko Haram insurgency attacks in the Northwest if decisive and urgent steps are not taken. Although State-level peace efforts have had some initial success in the areas of weapon surrendering and releasing of kidnapped victims, these have however not mitigated the threats that the recurring armed banditry poses to peace and security desired by the region. As a qualitative research, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Key Informant Interview (KII) were conducted with relevant non-state actors on the application of community-driven peacebuilding and conflict transformation approaches and their successes in this current dispensation. Data generated from the field were complemented by reviewed literature. As the epicentre of the armed banditry, the focus of this paper was consciously restricted to only Zamfara State in order to interrogate community interventions in a more context-specific manner. Among other things, this paper underscores the relevance of localised peace as a veritable tool for building sustainable peace and tackling conflict at its source by recommending solutionist strategies to state actors and others alike, just for the sake of peace in Zamfara State and the Northwest as a whole. The study emphasizes in its conclusion that security challenges in the region have deeply local roots and therefore require community conflict transformation efforts and traditional peacebuilding interventions as alternative methods of building sustainable peace and promoting peaceful co-existence in a weaponized environment like Nigeria's Northwest. Key Words: Armed banditry, peace, violence, conflict, Northwest
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    Localized Peace in a Weaponized Environment: Interrogating Non-state Actors' Peacebuilding Interventions against Armed Banditry in Nigeria's Northwest
    (Arewa Research and Scholar Vanguard Center, 2022) AKANNI, Waliyu Oladotun
    The protracted armed banditry and its associated threats to peace and security is gradually turning Nigeria's Northwest into another major regional theatre of violence. There are palpable tensions and heightened fear of possible replica in the magnitude of Boko Haram insurgency attacks in the Northwest if decisive and urgent steps are not taken. Although State-level peace efforts have had some initial success in the areas of weapon discovery and release of kidnapped victims, these have however not mitigated the threats that the recurring armed banditry poses to peace and security desired by the region. As a qualitative research, in-depth interviews were conducted with relevant non-state actors on recent applications of the indigenous peacebuilding and conflict transformation approaches regarding their successes and what might be required to record more success in the current dispensation. Data generated from the survey were complemented by extant reviewed literature on various approaches to peace in different communities in the Northwest. As the epicentre of the armed banditry, the focus of this paper was consciously restricted to only Zamfara State in order to interrogate community interventions in a more context-specific manner. Among other things, this paper underscored the relevance of localised peace responses as a veritable tool to build sustainable peace and tackle conflict from its sources by recommending solutionist strategies to state actors and others alike, just for the sake of peace in Zamfara State and the Northwest as a whole. Key Words: Armed banditry, peace, violence, attack, intervention, conflict, Northwest
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    SOCIAL SAFETY NETS IN POLARIZED AND CONFLICT-RIDDEN SOCIETIES
    (Centre for Democracy, Peace and Conflict Resolution (CDPCR), Federal University Dutsin-ma, Katsina State, 2026-02) AKANNI, Waliyu Oladotun; ADEDAYO, Adedeji Matthew
    This paper examines the role of Social Safety Nets (SSNs) as policy instruments for addressing poverty, vulnerability, and instability in polarized and conflict-ridden societies, moving beyond their traditional conceptualization as mere welfare mechanisms to recognize their broader social, political, and peacebuilding functions. Using a qualitative, non-empirical approach grounded in a critical review of existing literature and policy documents, and anchored on a multi-theoretical framework comprising Social Protection Theory, Political Economy Theory, and Social Cohesion and Peacebuilding Theory, the study demonstrates how well-designed and inclusive SSN programmes can mitigate social unrest, enhance social cohesion, strengthen state–citizen relations, and serve as stabilizing forces by reducing vulnerability, preventing reform-induced shocks, and fostering trust in public institutions, as illustrated by evidence from Nigeria and other conflict-affected societies. The paper concludes that the effectiveness of SSNs in divided societies depends critically on transparency, inclusiveness, political neutrality, and strategic positioning as peace-sensitive development interventions, and recommends that policymakers design SSNs with explicit conflict-sensitive frameworks, integrate them into broader peacebuilding and state-building agendas, and ensure sustainable financing and institutional anchoring to maximize their stabilizing and cohesive potential in fragile contexts. Keywords: Social Safety Nets; Conflict; Polarization; Social Cohesion; Peacebuilding
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    TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE THROUGH THE LENS OF PEACE EDUCATION: A SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF NIGERIA'S NORTHEAST
    (Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Agbani, Enugu State, 2026-05) AKANNI, Waliyu Oladotun; BADMUS, Samsudeen Dayo
    The protracted Boko Haram insurgency has left indelible impacts on Nigeria's Northeast, creating a multifaceted challenge for peacebuilding interventions. Although the attacks have not entirely stopped, there is however, noticeable evidence of a considerable decline in their intensity, with a sizeable chunk of repentant insurgents laying down their weapons and embracing peace. Of particular interest to this paper is the effectiveness and relevance of peace education in the implementation of ongoing transitional justice initiatives in the Northeast. Drawing on a hybrid theoretical framework that integrates Transitional Justice Theory and Peace Education Theory, the research employs a qualitative approach and relies primarily on secondary sources of data. The significance of peace education as an integral component of transitional justice is emphasized in this study. For transitional justice to be successful and credibly acceptable, this research recommends that the affected communities should be at the heart of the process to foster a sense of inclusion, and the initiative should be sensitive to traditional values and peculiarities of the region. It comes to the conclusion that despite the complexities and challenges inherent in carrying out transitional justice in the Northeast, peace education as an instrument of social reconciliation can be a necessary catalyst for building the much-needed sustainable peace that the region urgently and deservedly needs. Keywords: Transitional Justice, Peace Education, Boko Haram, Northeast, Violent Conflict