Dynamics of Conflict and Peacebuilding in Bole Butake’s Family Saga, Francis Ateh’s Seat of Thorns and Kelvin Ngong Toh’s Symphonic Shades

Abstract

Conflict is an ever-present phenomenon in the human society; it is omnipresent and ubiquitous; it operates at various levels, namely, social, economic, political, cultural and religious. A critical reading of the three texts under study revealed that what mostly triggers conflict is the hegemonic dominance of the Centre’s monopolisation of power. Whether it is at the micro or macro level, the centre that wields power and calls the shots is squarely responsible for the conflictual situations in the society. The fundamental question addressed in this paper is: For what reason is power acquired? The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that literature is a veritable weapon that can be used to resolve conflict, thus, it examines how conflict is represented in Bole Butake’s Family Saga, Francis Ateh’s Seat of Thorns and Kelvin Ngong Toh’s Symphonic Shades in the multicultural Cameroonian society. Using new historicism and Social conflict theory to analyse these three narratives, the study revealed that the failure of leadership in African contemporary society has provided a platform for conflicts. The paper recommends that, for peace building and sustainable development to be attained, leaders need to change their dynamics, restrategise and rise up to the aspiration and expectations of the ruled. Literature is therefore perceived in this study as an instrument that can be used to resolve conflicts in the society.