Intra-Intergroup Conflicts in Africa: a critical reflection on indigenous and external causal factors

Authors : Lukman Adewale QUADRI, Ajibola OLADEJO

Pages : 122-141

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Publication Date : 2020-12-31

Article Type : Other Papers

Abstract :This study discerned that prior to colonial intrusion conflicts existed in the African society, but usually in the context of conquest, expansionism or reassertion of supremacy. However, the advent of colonialism feasted on the existing primordial incongruities between ethnic groups; hence, seeded inter-ethnic consciousness as a divide and rule tactics for the advancement of their objectives in the usurped colonies. Following the fall of colonialism, the postcolonial African societies were built on unresolved/hibernated ethnic rivalries, which protruded and remained extant from the Cold War era hitherto. However, this study revealed that ethnic consciousness in Africa, such as that of Nigeria and Kenya, predates colonialism, but was exacerbated by the Cold War gladiators, and the postcolonial African leaders. Therefore, intra-intergroup conflicts in Africa are attributable to endogenous and exogenous factors. Central to the objective of this study is the advocation of mutual coexistence of ethnic groups in heterogenous societies such as Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Cameroon and other African states. In addition, the need for leaders to narrow horizontal inequalities which is a potential source of ethnoreligious consciousness which is obviously threatful to nation-building project. Frances Stewart (1998) framework of horizontal inequalities was adopted in this study in that it critically explicated how inequalities along primordial lines can be a threat to nation-building in a multicultural society. In addition, the theory of primordialism featured greatly in this study as it explains the inevitabilities of primordial loyalties in multi-ethnic nation-states. The findings of this study, coupled with the substantive frameworks adopted, points to the need that African nations should collate horizontal inequalities data nationally, in a bid to discern whether groups are proportionally represented or not in public offices. In addition, the need to deconstruct colonial constructions, to attenuate catalyst of conflict is sacrosanct to amicable coexistence and nation-building.
Keywords : Conflict, Colonial and Imperialism, Intergroup conflict, Intragroup conflict, intra intergroup conflict, Precolonialism, Postcolonialism