RESOURCE-BASED CONFLICTS: THE EREI FARM SETTLEMENT EXPERIENCE, 1961-2025
Keywords:
Erei Farm Settlement, natural resources, conflict, land, boundaryAbstract
This study examines the deep-seated resource-based conflict rocking the Erei Farm Settlement. This farm straddles the communities of Okon Aku in Abia State, Ekoli Edda in Ebonyi State and Ikun, Urugbam and Egbor in Cross River State. Despite the glimmer of hope from the value of land, farm’s wealth and rising stock in palm oil, conflict has continued to ravage these pristine communities and their economies. To resolve these paradoxical gaps, the study aims at establishing a straight course on the history, causes and solutions to water down this conflict. In doing this, the study adopts qualitative method of in-depth analysis by relying on primary and secondary sources, while using structural conflict theory to expand the existing knowledge of the conflict. The findings reveal that varying claims to and unequal distribution of a piece of land with a total area of 10,385.30 acres and its resources were the underlying causes of the conflict. The study concludes by addressing this smothering conflict and recommends the governments of Abia, Cross River and Ebonyi States to develop a comprehensive strategy for natural resources regulations to meet and overcome the conflict.
References
Ada, John U. Position Paper on Proof of Cross River Boundary Claim in Respect of Disputed Interstate Boundary Corridor between Cross River and Ebonyi State. Presented to the National Boundary Commission, 14 Aug. 2020.
Agwu, Ibe. Personal interview. 9 Jan. 2025.
"Eastern Nigeria Notice, Enugu." Eastern Nigeria Gazette, vol. 13, 3 Sept. 1964.
Egeh, Ukam. Personal interview. 24 Jan. 2025.
Egwu, Emperor E. "Reunite Us (Erei) with Our Kith and Kin in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State." Letter to Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, 15 Sept. 1999.
Galtung, Johan. "Violence, Peace, and Peace Research." Journal of Peace Research, vol. 6, no. 3, 1969, pp. 167-91.
Government of Ebonyi State. Ebonyi State Position Paper on the Cross River-Ebonyi Inter-State Boundary Dispute. Aug. 2020.
Igbor, Eghong. Personal interview. 8 Nov. 2025.
Igube, I. "Change of Name." Letter to the Crown Counsel Customary Court Division, Ministry of Justice, Umuahia-Ibeku, 1961.
John, A. B. "Suspension of Farming Operations on Government Project Land." Letter to Community Heads and Landlord Communities of Erei, Federal Government Oil Palm Project, Erei, 12 Nov. 1996.
Maphosa, Sylvester B. "Natural Resources and Conflict: Unlocking the Economic Dimension of Peace-Building in Africa." Policy Brief, no. 74, Africa Institute of South Africa, Mar. 2012.
National Boundary Commission. Technical Report of Joint Field Team on Cross River/Ebonyi Boundary. Nov. 2005.
Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research. "Problem of Compensation to the Farm Settlement Landowners." Exco Memo, 1996.
Obono-Obla, Okoi. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 2025.
Official Gazette, Bill No.139 of 1983, C. 40 Local Government Amendment No. 3. Oct. 1983.
Oku, Abo, et al. "An Address of Welcome Presented by Ubaghara/Erei Clans to the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources." Letter to the Ministry of Agriculture, Calabar, Cross River State, 4 Mar. 1987.
Olson, Morden. "Big Bills Left on the Sidewalk: Why Some Nations are Rich and Others Poor." Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 10, no. 2, 1996, pp. 3-24.
Sodaro, Mitch J. Comparative Politics: A Global Introduction. McGraw-Hill, 2002.
The Urugbam Accord: Peace Meeting to Resolve Okon Aku and Abanwan Crisis. 14 Aug. 1999.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, adaptation, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors are permitted to post their work online in institutional/disciplinary repositories or on their own websites. Pre-print versions posted online should include a citation and link to the final published version in Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication as soon as the issue is available; post-print versions (including the final publisher's PDF) should include a citation and link to the journal's website.
