Obstacles to Effective Land Conflict Resolution: Traditional Rulers' Perspectives in Osun State, Nigeria

Traditional rulers in developing communities seem to face significant challenges in resolving land conflicts due to unclear land boundaries, erosion of traditional authority, and increasing commercialization of land that disregards customary norms. The study investigated the traditional rulers’ perspectives towards obstacles confronting effective land conflict resolution in Ijesa land Osun State, Nigeria. This was with a view to examining political and economic pressures, legal and institutional limitations, erosion of cultural authority and trust, among others. The study employed an exploratory ethnographic research design, while purposive and snowballing sampling procedures were used. The study employed interview guide on 41 Key Informant Interview (KII) and 3 sessions of Focus Group Discussion (FGD), respectively. The responses from KII and FGD sessions were content analysed. The results indicated that land decisions are often shaped by external favours rather than traditional justice or community interest as some traditional rulers cannot say no to politicians who bring them money or contracts. Official land instruments (like Certificates of Occupancy) can override long-standing customary ownership, thereby invalidating traditional resolutions. The lack of accountability has entrenched distrust and apathy toward traditional rulership. Besides, the lack of financial and logistical support weakens the capacity of rulers to carry out investigations, host mediation meetings, or monitor conflicts land effectively. The study concluded that traditional rulers face challenges in the management of land conflicts, especially in the areas of lack of legal authority, interference from external factors, personal interests and bias and involvement in land grabbing.