The State and the Processes for the Resolution of Chieftaincy Disputes: Taraba State Model

Traditional institutions and rulers have played important roles in development administration of States in Africa. But the politics of each community has also made the institutions not to be free from some kinds of conflicts and the multiplier effects of such conflicts. Consequently, modern government has not ignored the traditional institutions as part of its development programs to ensure that no community under-develops itself and indeed the State as a result of conflict. State Governments in Nigeria have put in place structures and process to follow in resolving chieftaincy disputes. This paper is interested to find out the structure for administering chieftaincy institutions and the path for resolving chieftaincy disputes in Taraba State. The paper sourced its data from secondary and primary sources. The paper finds that whereas there is an elaborate system and machinery for conflict resolution, but some Chieftaincy disputes become protracted before they were resolve and some are still taking longer time to resolve in spite of the political efficacy of the elites in the State. Therefore with the creation of many graded chiefdoms as a measure to resolve Chieftaincy demands and disputes, both the communities that still have outstanding disputes, the Government and people should cooperate, and on the bases of equity and due process in matters of Native law and Custom resolve chieftaincy disputes to serve as deterrent to deviants. This would enable both old and new chiefs to settle down as agents of peace and development administration.