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Around 1815, the Olokpo, Akparabong, and Iso-bendeghe peoples migrated from their primary settlement in Etinghinta (Nta), south of their present homeland, and advanced into Yala-Nkum territory. After a protracted conflict lasting approximately twenty-two years, they successfully dispossessed Yala-Nkum of its valuable salt pond. In the pre-colonial period, salt was a highly prized resource and a cornerstone of local economies before the introduction of English salt in the early twentieth century. Beyond its culinary value, salt functioned as a commodity, medium of exchange, medicinal substance, and preservative. The seizure of the Yala-Nkum salt pond by Akparabong, represented by the Nturokim and Ogbagante communities, alongside Olokpo and Iso-bendeghe, illustrates both the effectiveness of traditional diplomatic alliances and the inherent challenges of managing collective victory. This paper examines the ensuing diplomatic disputes among Olokpo, Iso-bendeghe, and Akparabong over salt mining prior to the rise of cocoa production and the influx of English salt. It focuses on mining processes, rivalries over access rights, and the indigenous institutions and mechanisms employed for conflict resolution. Guided by realistic conflict theory, the study explains how competition over scarce resources generated intergroup hostility. Using a qualitative, interdisciplinary approach, the research draws on social anthropology, ethnography, interviews, intelligence reports, and relevant secondary literature. Findings reveal that the three groups shared close affinities, migrated simultaneously, and forged alliances that enabled their conquest of Yala-Nkum. However, disputes soon emerged over control and use of the salt pond. These tensions, which persisted until a negotiated compromise, intensified in the 1970s when cocoa supplanted salt as a major economic resource. The paper recommends establishing a joint salt-resource management committee and community-based conflict resolution mechanisms to promote equity, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence.

Salt mining, Traditional economy, Cocoa production, Communal rivalries, Mining rights,