Intra Ethnic Conflicts Among the Igbo People

A Functionalist Analysis.

Abstract

His study examines how the assumptions of functionalism have influenced prevailing social conflicts among the Igbo people of south eastern Nigeria. It is argued that behind the value consensus position of the theory in the analysis of social systemexistssocial institutions that predispose Igbo Society to fission. Data for the study were gotten using secondary sources. Identified social conflicts like that between traditional rulers an Presidents-General of town unions,associational bodies  like: Ohaneze,association of traditional rulers, presidents of town uniobs are related to the inability of the theory to recognise the place ofhistory in creating institutions for social development. The study
recommends bottom-top model approach in policy formulation and implementation processes by the state. This is at variance with the top-to-bottom approach inherent in functionalism and which is asource of social conflict among the Igbo people.