CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

1.1Background of the study

Religion is a complex, controversial and multifaceted concept. Many people define it to meet their own conceptual designs (Gedzi, 2009:49). Aboagye (2008:22) defines the core meaning of religion as a belief in the existence of God or a god and this has been part of human experience from the very beginning, and it remains highly developed or relatively primitive‖. Religion is a belief in a spiritual being. As such, it is a key component of individual and group identity‖ (USAID, 2009:4). It provides a spiritual meaning of life, loyalty and association. These elements according to Balakrishnan, present the connection between religion and politics. This has allowed many people to exploit the relationship and have let loose forces that can no longer be controlled (Anatomy of Religion Conflict, 2005:4).

Alternatively, conflict is defined as a relationship between two or more parties that centres on differences, disagreement on some issues of common interest or concern, divergence, incompatibility, clash of wills and the like; it may involve feeling of hatred and opposition (Awedoba, 2009:5; Horowitz and Bordens, 1995:697). In the words of Bamikole (2009), One of the fundamental challenges that had confronted man in social history is that of the inevitability of conflict and disagreement in human relations. This is because, as long as people live together, work together, and interact with each other, disputes remain inevitable between sub-groups or individuals in a group, or between different groups.

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