IBEKU WOMEN AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN TRADITIONAL SOCIETY, SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

In traditional African society, women have always been regarded as second-class citizens. Women’s views on certain issues in life are not usually given pride of place. Most times nobody seeks their view when decisions are to be taken, even those that concern them. This may have been the reason for this popular saying “Women’s education ends in the kitchen. The level of conflicts being experienced around the world especially within the African continent, with the devastating effects would have been avoided, if women were allowed to make their contributions. But today, things are gradually changing for good. For many years now, the disparity between men and women has gradually gone into extinction. Internationally and locally, there has been a series of calls and resolutions for the total empowerment and emancipation of women folk. Women on their part have never relented in seeing that the erroneous impressions the men have against them are corrected. This has since started achieving its goal as the women entrusted into various positions (be it political, religious, social, business, and even in the civil/public service and other headships) have been performing credibly and have been achieving the desired goals and more. In Ibeku, the women are not relenting in making sure they are given their pride of place. This has been made possible through the instrumentality of the formation of various women's associations and/or groups both in the communities, academia, politics, and government offices and in their different professions. As it is constant in life, there has been a remarkable change in the method of conflict resolution among Ibeku women, and equally, some methods are still being upheld due to their ability to withstand the test of time. The involvement of women in conflict resolution is evident in their neutrality and fearlessness. Their involvement has brought relative and noticeable peace to the area. Oral interviews, archival materials, and other secondary sources were used in the research.