HERDERS-FARMERS CONFLICT IN NIGERIA: APPLYING MARTIN BUBER’S DIALOGIC APPROACH

Abstract

Herders-Farmers conflict in Nigeria happens to be one of the major challenges that have threatened the security and unity of Nigeria. This conflict has persisted unresolved for years. It has even taken an ethno-religious dimension. This dimension of the conflict has created an impasse with respect to the conflict resolution. Sequels to this, the following questions are raised: Why farmers-herders conflicts? Or, what is the fundamental cause of herders-farmers’ conflict in Nigeria? What are the propelling causes of farmers-herders conflicts in Nigeria? Are these conflicts politically or religiously motivated? Consequent to the above, this research adopted Martin Buber’s dialogic approach as a panacea to the malady. The concept of dialogic according to Buber is a philosophy of interpersonal relationship which he calls “I-Thou†(Ich-Du) relationship. Buber argued that I-Thou relation is a relationship of genuine dialogue, active listening, active responses, responsibility, reciprocity and inclusiveness. It is also a relationship for open-minded persons for the sake of peaceful coexistence. Accordingly, his concept of I-Thou relation saw human person as an end in itself and not as a means to an end through genuine dialogue and concrete encounter. In fact, Buber maintained that the concept of dialogic is a relational phenomenon thus it is a subject-to-subject relation. Using the philosophical tools of analysis and hermeneutics, this research hence concludes that Buber’s dialogic presents a leeway towards addressing herders-farmers crisis in Nigeria.