Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Dispute Resolutions: The Yoruba Example
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Date
2015
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Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group
Abstract
Yorùbá, like every other society has a history behind its knowledge resources which guides its development resource. This is greatly explicated in its oral literature; like proverbs, folktales, Ifá corpus, songs, and festivals. This study aims at investigating the Yorùba indigenous knowledge systems in conflict resolution process. Twenty proverbs are copiously selected for analysis out of the fifty proverbs collected. The proverbs are selected based on the thematic pre-occupation of the study and analysed with the Nativist Model of Postcolonial theory. The model suggests that the people and race that had been colonised by the West, at a time in history, should dig deep into their culture and tradition, and make use of their indigenous languages for their literary discourse. The study reveals, among other things, that proverb as an indigenous knowledge system among the Yorùbá serves as a potent tool in resolving disputes. It has worked for the people in the past to curtail disputes and crises, which brought about a peaceful society. The study, therefore, recommends that adoption of indigenous knowledge system as proverbs in resolving contemporary issues relating to dispute and conflict will be of immense contribution to bringing sanity to the society.
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Keywords
indigenous knowledge, proverbs, dispute resolutions