Social Conflicts – JSS3 Social Studies Lesson Note (Second Term)

Conflict is defined as a misunderstanding or disagreement between two or more people conflict can occur between families, communities, and nations.

Types of conflict

There are two main classifications or categories of conflict:
(i) violent conflict, and
(ii) non-violent conflict.

Violent conflict: Conflict is said to be violent when it involves the use of physical force, for instance, when people fight or go to war.

Non-violent conflict: Conflict is said to be non-violent when it does not involve the use of physical force; but sometimes, it is based on certain rules and regulations; for instance, in sports competition.

Examples of conflicts

(i) Inter-personal conflicts:
This is a conflict that involves one person and another. Two persons must be involved in inter-personal conflict. Usually, it occurs as a result of misunderstanding between two persons. If this conflict is within an individual, it could be called intra- personal conflict; in other words, internal conflict. Intra-personal conflict occurs when an individual takes the wrong decision or makes a wrong choice. When two friends have misunderstandings, such a conflict is inter-personal.

(ii) Inter-communal conflict
When two communities have conflict, it becomes inter-communal conflict. An example in Nigeria is the conflict between Ezillo and Ezza in Ebonyi State, Umuleri, and Aguleri in Anambra State, Obosi and Onitsha also Anambra State, ModakekeIfe people in Ogun State. Such inter-community conflicts could be called intra-ethnic conflicts, i.e., when a conflict is between two communities in one ethnic group, e.g., Modakeke and Ife, Aguleri/Umuleri or Ezillo/Ezza. Ife and Modakeke are Yorubas, while Aguleri and Umuleri, Ezza/Ezillo are lgbos.
When the conflict is between two ethnic groups in Nigeria, it becomes inter-ethnic conflict, though intra-national conflict, because both ethnic groups are in the Nigerian nation, e.g., Hausa/lgbo, Itsekiri/Urhobo, Kataf/Hausa, Yoruba/ Hausa conflicts in Nigeria are called intra-national or inter-ethnic conflicts.

Examples of Conflict in Nigeria

Nigeria as a nation has witnessed or experienced a lot of conflict. For example

• The civil war between 1967 and 1970
•  Students not starting from Ali must go
•  Intertribal wars – ife – Modakeke war
•   Religious riots and wars particularly in the northern part of the country (Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Bauchi, Maiduguri) and the issue of Boko – Haram
•  Workers strikes and protest e.g. the judiciary and the health officers’ strikes
•   Electoral protection leading to burning of valuable properties and destruction of lives.

Causes of Conflict

•       Selfishness or Self centredness
•       Lack of cooperation
•       Bad leadership/leader’s inability to perform his functions well
•       Religion intolerance
•       Communication gap between two people or nations
•       Laziness and inefficiency
•       Increase in crime rate or came act among people.
  

Causes and consequences of conflict on the society

The consequences of conflict could be positive or negative. When it is positive, it means that the conflict has been effectively managed and results in improved mutual understanding and better relationships because the parties involved benefit as a result of the amicable settlement. But it is negative when it leads to the following:

(i) Break-down of law and order.
(ii) Uncertainty and confusion. Crime of all sorts, e.g., robbery, kidnapping, etc.
(iii) Destruction of lives and property.
(iv) Social and economic activities in the society are hindered.
(v) Schools, colleges, and universities are
closed down, temporarily.
(vi) Students are rusticated or miss their academic sessions.
(vii) School calendar is adversely affected.
(viii) Theft and vandalization in school and society in general.
(ix) Hunger and diseases, like (kwashiorkor as experienced during the civil war in Nigeria).
(x) Hindering of all aspects of the result. development in society, etc.