Church Leaders Roles in Land Dispute: a Study of 1992 Land Dispute Between Ugep and Idomi Communities in Yakurr Local Government Area, Nigeria.

This research is primarily centered on the Church Leaders Roles in Land Dispute: A Study of 1992 Land Dispute between Ugep and Idomi Communities in Yakurr Local Government Area, Nigeria. It examines the negative impact of conflicts occurrence in the area and the role of the church in either curbing or managing conflicts. The work seeks to draw the attention of religious bodies like Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), state policymakers and researchers to the “neglect” of conflicts affecting the Yakurr communities. The methodology adopted for this research involved the use of both primary and secondary sources personal interviews used for the analysis of the research constitute the primary sources. The secondary sources include published and unpublished works on the vexed issues of conflicts prevalence in Nigeria though it’s evident that conflict in all human society is as old as the society itself constituting serious impediments that if not urgently attended to results in the destruction of lives and property. The research submits that there must be first an attitude of love and reconciliation where there is rancor and acrimony. That the church and her leaders in the society have the potential to manage and resolve conflicts through their religious values and principles which involve, love, forgiveness, justice, peace and tolerance. The only means of achieving this noble task is through dialogue, organizing seminars and workshops. It recommends that, the federal government should as a matter of urgency try as much as possible to resolve the lingering economic, social, political and security challenges in the country as peace and justice are not gained through the barrel of the gun but through dialogues, negotiations and persuasion.