Traditional Rulers and Statutory Institutions: Dynamics of Cooperation and Competition in Land Conflict Management in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study explored traditional rulers and statutory institutions as dynamics of cooperation and competition in land conflict management in Osun state, Nigeria. The study was motivated by the facts that the frequency of land disputes in Osun State is caused by a number of reasons. The study was anchored on Conflict Transformation Theory and Collaborative Governance Theory, respectively. The study employed exploratory ethnographic research design, while purposive and snowballing sampling procedures were employed. Both Key Informant Interview (KII) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) were used to obtain information of the sampled participants. The obtained data were content analysed. The results indicated that the major historical role of traditional rulers to include land custodianship and land allocation, mediators in conflicts among others. Greed of individuals, including the traditional rulers, ambiguity in land boundaries, increase in the value of land, among others contributed to the causes of land conflicts among the respondents in the study location. The study recommended that the traditional rulers should institutionalize community-based land governance councils that include youth, women, family heads, and elders. These councils should oversee land allocation, documentation, and conflict resolution to ensure transparency and inclusive participation in decision-making processes.

Keywords: Traditional rulers, statutory institutions, land conflict management in Osun State, Nigeria.