Mediation in Intertribal Land Disputes: Consequences in Eyumojock Sub-Division

Abstract

This study examines the concept of mediation and its relevance to inter-tribal land disputes in Eyumojock Sub-Division. It is situated within a context where land remains a vital resource for livelihood, identity, and communal survival, yet disputes over ownership, access, and boundaries have increasingly generated tension among neighbouring communities. The research problem lies in the persistence of such conflicts despite the existence of customary norms and formal legal mechanisms, suggesting that current dispute-resolution approaches are either inadequate or insufficiently harmonized. The main objective of the study is to assess how mediation, particularly within customary and community-based frameworks, can contribute to the peaceful resolution of inter-tribal land disputes in Eyumojock. Methodologically, the study adopts a doctrinal and qualitative approach, relying on library research, relevant legal materials, and analysis of customary practices and secondary sources on land conflict resolution. The study finds that mediation remains a culturally acceptable, flexible, and cost-effective means of resolving land disputes, especially where it is guided by respected traditional authorities and grounded in local norms of fairness and reconciliation. It further reveals that many conflicts escalate because of weak documentation of land boundaries, competing historical claims, and limited cooperation between customary and formal institutions. The study concludes that mediation is a practical and socially sustainable mechanism for addressing inter-tribal land disputes in Eyumojock, provided it is strengthened and integrated with formal land governance structures. It recommends the documentation of customary boundaries, capacity-building for traditional mediators, and closer collaboration between state officials and community leaders to promote lasting peace and prevent future conflicts.