CONFLICT AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN NIGERIA: A GUIDE TO COMMUNITY WORKERS

Abstract

The role of community in society development is widely acknowledged by development scholars, but incessant conflict is belittling the development effort. In order to checkmate against such crisis, this paper provides a roadmap for management of conflicts that arise from the planning and implementation of community development projects. By this, it acquaints community workers with knowledge of the sources of conflict, its manifestations, effects, and management. This will doubtlessly empower community workers and all those interested in community work to deal promptly with development barriers in the course of their work. The paper argued that conflict, if well handled, can be a source of change and development. Conflict theory is used as the framework for the study; with qualitative approach as the major sources of data. The paper thus found that conflicts in handling community projects stem from the economic factors, power struggle, socio-cultural sources, and location of projects, among others. Conflict manifests itself in the form of anger, disagreement, withdrawal from participating in community projects, violent attacks on people and projects, demonstrations and blockades, and largely intra-communal and communal tensions. Based on these findings, the study recommended that mediation, negotiation, and conciliation are veritable intervention tools that can be deployed to manage conflicts. The community needs to engage to a wide spectrum of stakeholders in the planning and implementation of community projects; transparent and accountable leadership; and, effective communication as ways of building community cohesion, reducing disparities and feelings of alienation.