Basil Ugorji

From Cultural Justice to Inter-Ethnic Mediation: A Reflection on the Possibility of Ethno-Religious Mediation in Africa Basil Ugorji

The struggle for cultural justice is not a question which proves to be problematic only in western countries where the claims of the "polyethnic" groups based on immigration and the "multinational" groups enter into conflict with dominant majorities. A reflection on African history and the events that occur today reveal that not only is there a real struggle for cultural justice in its various forms, but that, in addition, this struggle often leads to tribal violence and clashes, or even massacres, ethnic and religious wars, genocides. Inspired by ethno-religious conflicts which occur in a frequent, incessant and violent manner in the contemporary Nigerian society, Basil Ugorji, the author of this book, examines the relevance of certain measures, judicial and coercive, used to resolve ethno-religious conflicts in Africa. The thesis defended is that ethno-religious conflicts in Africa require a shift at the level of research for peaceful resolution: first, from retributive justice to restorative justice, and second, from coercive method to ethno-religious mediation. Based on the historical and political contexts (pre-colonialism, colonialism, post-independence), the author examines ethno-religious conflicts in Nigeria, with a focus on ethnic, tribal and religious groups involved in conflicts, the origins, causes, consequences, actors involved, forms and places of occurrence of ethno-religious conflicts. Finally, he conceives, develops and creates a peace education program.