CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF STUDY

One major problem confronting world peace today is the manifestation of conflicts in different dimensions across the globe. From Europe to America, Africa to Asia, conflicts are common phenomena (Marshall and Gurr, 2005 in Jeong, 2008). Conflict has been defined in different ways by different scholars. For instance, Ekong (2003) defined conflict as that form of social interaction in which the actors seek to obtain scarce reward by eliminating or weakening their contenders.

Folger et al. (2009) defined conflict as the interaction of interdependent people who perceive incompatible goals and interference from each other in achieving those goals. Gyong (2007) defined conflict as the struggle for dominance or control of one person or group by the other in such a way as to subjugate or even eliminate the opponent. Nigeria has experienced and is still experiencing conflicts of grave proportions among several ethnic and religious communities across the states. These conflicts significantly vary in dimension, process and the groups involved.

It was observed by Momale (2003) that, while some conflicts arise between same resource user group such as between one farming community and another, others occur between different user groups such as between herders and farmers or between foresters and farmers. Adisa (2012) observed that the farmers-herdsmen conflict has remained the most preponderant resource-use conflict in Nigeria.

According to Abbas (2009) a study of major sources of conflicts between the Fulani pastoralists (to be used interchangeably with “herders” or “herdsmen”) and farmers shows that land related issues, especially on grazing fields, account for the highest percentage of the conflicts. In other words, struggles over the control of economically viable lands cause more tensions and violent conflicts among communities. Social and economic factors continue to provoke violent conflicts among the Fulani pastoralists and farmers.

The intensity and variations of the conflicts largely depend on the nature and type of the user groups where the pastoralists graze. These conflicts have constituted serious threats to the means of survival and livelihoods of both the farmers and pastoralists and what both groups are tenaciously protecting. The conflicts (though provocative) over access rights to farmland and cattle routes (labi), have become ubiquitous and seems to have defied solutions (Abbas, 2009).

However, Coser (2000) has noted that, the inevitability of conflict in the claim for scarce resource is considered here as the bane for struggles over the inestimable value for land and its resource, with the claim for ownership and the claim for its position as a common resource. Nevertheless, the complex land use system that has changed markedly overtime has culminated in the present day tension and conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and host communities.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

        Tensions between Nigeria's farmers and have intensified in recent years, with dwindling natural resources and land availability greatly contributing to the ongoing, escalating conflict in the country. To this, government is unwilling to acknowledge the scale of conflict for reasons that relate to its external political presentation. The local press has played an important role in making public various situations but they are seen as partisan. World media have taken almost no interest in these matters; it could also be that action by the authorities to quell violent conflict has been minimal or ineffective, leading to a perception by communities that they should take responsibility for their own security. Finally, several researches has been carried out on Nigeria’s Fulani-farmers conflict and peace building but not even a single research has been carried out on farmers and Fulani conflict in Benue state; an assessment of 2000-2017.

1.3   AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

        The main aim of the study is to examine farmers and Fulani conflict in Benue. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. to determine the effect of conflict on farmers and the Fulani(s) of Benue state.
2. to determine the causative factors of conflict of farmers and Fulani in Benue state.
3. to determine the extent to which conflict affect the livelihood of famers and Fulani in Benue state.
4. to proffer possible solutions to the problems.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the effect of conflict on farmers and the Fulani(s) of Benue state?
2. What are the causative factors of conflict of farmers and Fulani in Benue state?
3. What is the extent to which conflict affect the livelihood of famers and Fulani in Benue state?
4. What are the possible solutions to the problems?

1.5   STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0:   Conflict has no significant effect on the farmers and Fulani(s)        of Benue state.

H1:    Conflict has a significant effect on the farmers and Fulani(s)  of Benue state.

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

        The study on the farmers and Fulani conflict will be of immense benefit to the entire Benue state in the sense that it will examine the perception of the two different groups on land usage and access to natural resources which were basically the main cause of the conflict, so as to enable further understanding of the issue from the viewpoint of the conflict actors.

It, therefore, provides a sort of communication platform that will enable bottom-up flow of information from the grassroots to the general public and the policy making unit of the government. It will also enable the government, Non-governmental organizations and the general public with relevant and up-to-date information on causes of farmer-herder conflict and efforts of various institutions towards the resolutions of conflicts between them. It has also provided the required information on the current status of farmer-herder conflict. Finally, the study will contribute to the body of existing literature and knowledge to this field of study and basis for further research.

1.7   SCOPE OF STUDY

        The study on farmers and Fulani conflict is limited to Benue state.

1.8   LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.9   DEFINITION OF TERMS

Farmer    A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials.

Fulani      Also called Peul or Fulbe, a primarily Muslim people scattered throughout many parts of West Africa, from Lake Chad, in the east, to the Atlantic coast. They are concentrated principally in Nigeria, Mali, Guinea, Cameroon, Senegal, and Niger.

Conflict   A serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one.