Paper long abstract:

Besides the economic predicament that has attracted for most countries in Africa the negative label ‘Third World’, Africa has been characterized as a continent enmeshed in conflicts, be it political, religious, ethnic or communal. Worse still, resolving conflicts in Africa seems rather intractable so much so that the continent has been portrayed as one that is incapable of handling challenging situations in a most responsive manner. This paper argues that the missing link lies in the low premium placed on African cultural values which underpin African ways of life and would, therefore, help to situate and explain the social conflicts within African milieus. To buttress this stance, this paper attempts to explore the place of African (Yoruba) proverbs in the management of social conflicts. Drawing on twenty proverbs that touch on conflict situation and modes of conflict resolution, the study posits that if Africans would look inwards to exploit their cultural dynamics, social problems in Africa could be solved without necessarily degenerating into precarious situations.