Abstract

The study examines the effects of the Chieftaincy Dispute in the Funsi Traditional Area. Methods used included Relative Deprivation theory, Case study design, sample size of 45, purposive and convenience sampling, semistructured and key informant interviews, and content analysis. Inadequate documentation on succession route, noncompliance with tradition, mistrust, poverty, and politicization fueled the dispute. The socio-cultural effects of
the dispute include injuries and deaths, trauma, collapse of social ties, and difficulty to access social services. Moreover, dwindling food production, price hikes in goods, low sales, difficulty in accessing transport to travel, soaring
unemployment, loss of labour force, and increase of middlemen in business were the economic and political effects. Lastly, supernatural arbitration, the use of legal system, and dialogue and capacity building were the nonviolent
conflict resolution mechanisms whilst the use of security forces was a violent mechanism. The study found that non-violent mechanisms were more appropriate for resolving the dispute in the Funsi Traditional area. The study
recommends that the Wa East District Assembly, Upper West Regional House of Chiefs and the Ministry of Chieftaincy should synchronize and codify the customary laws with the constitutional and legal instruments on the succession
route to the Funsi Chieftaincy Title.