The Role of Leadership in Linking Multiple Intelligences to Ethno-Religious Conflict Management

Abstract

Security is one of the fundamental purposes of government and why government function. Lack of peace is a major cause of life dissatisfaction, affecting all spheres of national life. Therefore, it is a responsibility on leaders to communicate peace and ensure that every citizen lives in harmony, regardless of cultural and religious differences. Although Nigeria is committed to unity in diversity, there have been frequent clashes between Christians and Muslims, the majority and minority ethnic groups, and within same tribe and religion. This paper argued that ethno-religious conflicts occur because stakeholders in community do not communicate and manage interactions emotionally, culturally, and spiritually. This research covers a gap by linking communicative leadership to the management of ethno-religious conflict. The paper is a conceptual review from extensive literature search and mapping. Based on the theory of multiple intelligence (MI), the paper identified the roles of emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, and spiritual intelligence toward ethno-religious tolerance and national security. The behavioural framework could help leaders and members of community to manage and prevent ethno-religious conflict in northern Nigeria. Practically, the paper can be beneficial to traditional rulers, community leaders, youth leaders, civil societies, peace ambassadors, and religious clerics.