@article{CRSIJ26000228,
                  author = {Fanaike Adewunmi Tawa},
                  title = {Ubuntu and the Igbo traditional justice system a comparative study of communal ethics and consensus in African conflict resolution},
                  journal = {Cosmo Research and Science International Journal},
                  year = {2025},
                  volume = {2},
                  number = {1},
                  pages = {428-438},
                  issn = {3108-1584},
                  url = {https://cosmorsij.com/published/CRSIJ26000228.pdf},
                  abstract = {Contemporary conflict resolution scholarship has been significantly shaped by Western legal traditions that emphasize adversarial procedures, individual responsibility, and punitive justice. However, such approaches often give limited attention to indigenous African justice systems that prioritize communal responsibility, moral restoration, dialogue, and reconciliation. This study comparatively examines Ubuntu philosophy and the Igbo Traditional Justice System as indigenous African frameworks for conflict resolution and restorative justice. Drawing on qualitative research methods through philosophical inquiry, documentary analysis, and comparative interpretation, the study explores the ethical foundations, justice mechanisms, and contemporary relevance of both traditions. Findings reveal that although Ubuntu and Igbo justice systems emerge from different cultural and geographical contexts, they share a common philosophical foundation based on relational personhood, collective responsibility, consensus-building, and the restoration of social harmony. Ubuntu’s principle that human identity is realized through relationships corresponds with Igbo concepts such as Omenala, Ofo na Ogu, Umunna, and Oha-na-Eze, which emphasize truth, moral accountability, communal participation, and reconciliation. The study argues that these indigenous systems challenge the dominance of punitive justice models by presenting alternative approaches where justice seeks not only to address wrongdoing but also to repair damaged relationships and reintegrate individuals into the community. While acknowledging challenges relating to gender inclusion, individual rights, and adaptation within modern state structures, the study maintains that Ubuntu and Igbo restorative traditions remain valuable resources for contemporary peace building, transitional justice, and the decolonization of Conflict Studies. It concludes that African communal ethics provides sophisticated theoretical and practical contributions to global conversations on sustainable conflict resolution.},
                  keywords = {Ubuntu, Igbo Traditional Justice System, communal ethics, consensus-building, restorative justice, indigenous peace building, conflict resolution, decolonisation},
                  month = {July}
        }