JOS JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY

This study examines the relationship between religious fundamentalism and interfaith tensions in Adamawa State, Nigeria, with the aim of developing a conceptual framework for sustainable peacebuilding. Situated within the context of Nigeria’s North-East geopolitical zone, the paper interrogates how exclusivist religious interpretations have contributed to social fragmentation while also recognising the potential of religion as a resource for reconciliation. Drawing on qualitative documentary analysis and secondary empirical sources, the study engages theoretical insights from Johan Galtung’s positive peace and John Paul Lederach’s conflict transformation theory to propose a novel framework termed “peace architecture”. Peace architecture is conceptualised as a multi-layered system integrating state institutions, community-based actors, and cultural frameworks to address both structural and relational dimensions of conflict. The study argues that existing interventions in Adamawa State remain largely reactive and fragmented, thereby limiting their long-term effectiveness. It further demonstrates that sustainable peace requires coordinated institutional reform, grassroots participation, interfaith education, and psychosocial reconciliation strategies. The paper concludes that moving beyond religious fundamentalism requires not the rejection of faith but its transformation into a dialogical engagement that supports coexistence and social cohesion. The proposed Peace Architecture provides a practical and context-sensitive model for achieving enduring stability in Adamawa State and similar plural societies.

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