The role of indigenous women groups in conflict management and transformation in Nigeria: A comparative study of the Umuada and the Jagunmolus

Abstract

This article examines the role of indigenous women’s groups in conflict management in Nigeria through a comparative study of the Umuada of Igbo society and the Jagunmolus of Yoruba society. While women’s participation in peacebuilding has received considerable scholarly attention since the adoption of UNSCR 1325, the contributions of indigenous women’s organisation remain underexamined. Drawing on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with group members and community leaders in southeastern and southwestern Nigeria, this study investigates the mechanisms, strategies, and cultural significance of these groups. Grounded in feminist theory as the analytical framework, the data were thematically analysed using a narrative approach. Findings reveal that both the Umuada and the Jagunmolus uphold social order through culturally embedded practices of dialogue, mediation, and reconciliation. The Umuada primarily engage in familial and intra-communal disputes, whereas the Jagunmolus operate at broader community and inter-village levels. Despite generational shifts favoring formal legal systems, both groups demonstrate resilience by selectively integrating modern practices while preserving their cultural legitimacy. Crucially, the study contributes to global debates on decolonisation by foregrounding indigenous epistemologies and challenging Western-centric models of peacebuilding. It argues that recognising and institutionalising traditional mechanisms, such as those employed by the Umuada and Jagunmolus, can promote more inclusive, contextually relevant, and sustainable approaches to conflict resolution in Nigeria, while affirming the value of indigenous knowledge systems in shaping national peace and security frameworks.

Keywords: Decolonisation, indigenous conflict management, Jagunmolus, Nigeria, peacebuilding, Umuada women’s groups.