THE CHURCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA OLAYEMI Olukayode

 It is not because of the billions that our politicians and their military counterparts have laundered in Swiss banks that Nigeria is classified as a third world country, it is the little things that we all do or better still don’t do either individually or collectively that has brought us this harsh reality. The bible says, it is little foxes that spoil the vine. If we all decide to drive on the right side of traffic there will be no need for “LASTMA” officials in Lagos, if we will all stop throwing dirt on the road, there will be no need for “DRAIN-DUCKS” also in Lagos. We might say is it not minimum wage they are paid monthly, how can that possibly be the bane of our society. Quite alright, such unnecessary expenditure might not have put us where we are as a people today but such resources could have been channelled into more productive ventures that will and would have changed the face of our society forever.

 However I beg to argue that Nigeria is not poor, neither are Nigerians poor but we are just a people unfortunate that things are not right in our society. It is often said that Nigeria is a rich country inhabited by the poor. An expose on some facts and figures will unravel this truth. First, Nigeria is blessed with a varied environment, large land area of 923,768km² covering a vast portion of Africa’s landmass. With a population of about 140million of which it is said that 1 0f 5 black Africans is a Nigeria. Generally, most of the land is arable and suitable for pasture. Given the different climate, topography, and vegetation, the variety of crops that can flourish, the abundant water resources; Nigeria is not only capable of feeding itself but also capable of supplying the rest of Africa and the world at large. Secondly, Nigeria is very rich in mineral resources, possessing most of the worlds known minerals in significant commercial quantity. Nigeria is the 6^th largest oil exporter in the world, with gas reserves whose exploration potentials are believed to exceed that of oil. With the foregoing at the back of our minds- the abundant natural resources, beautiful and highly resourceful people and their spirituality, one is bound to be stunned with the classification of Nigeria as a poor country.

 An attempt to enumerate the challenges of Nigeria will indeed be a herculean task, with issues ranging from political, socio-economic, cultural, institutional even religious. Apparently, every aspect of the Nigerian life is in dire need of a surgical operation. However, it all boils down to leadership problem at all levels of the Nigerian society- from the village square to the national assembly; our fathers, pastors, teachers, governors and even the president has failed. In the words of Chinua Achebe (1983):

 “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character, there is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which is the landmark of true leadership.”

 We all know that there is a challenge in our society and much time and resources have been spent in a bid to identify the problems challenging our society. I do not intend to delve into this futile activity neither do I intend to point fingers at some persons or group of persons for being responsible for our challenges. What we need as a society is to look at the way forward, how do we come out from this mess that we have found ourselves in or better still put ourselves in.

 The bible says righteousness exalts a nation. In the last 25 years or thereabout, the number of churches that dot the Nigerian landscape has grown astronomically. But has this growth in the number of churches and the number of people professing Christianity exalted our nation? That is has it brought about development or has it done otherwise. Although there is no empirical data that supports this claim, I don’t think churches have lived up to the biblical assignment of being the salt as well as the light of the earth. Most of our churches are just teaching faith not works, teaching prayer not action. Otherwise how do you explain young men who should be actively engaged in some form of productive activity just perambulating from one church to the other seeking deliverance or one pastor that will lay hands on them for their breakthrough. Indeed, there is no breakthrough anywhere but “workthrough”. Bishop Oyedepo will always say that any faith that makes God totally responsible for your life is an irresponsible faith. Someone said nothing ever happens because you think or wish they should happen but rather they happen because you make them happen. If we start praying from now till Jesus comes for economic development nothing will happen until we begin to work for a change.

 According to J.C. Ryle, when the UK was at its lowest, God sent a handful of anointed preachers including George Whitefield and the Wesley brothers. These prophetic preachers drew large crowds all over the country. Under their powerful preaching, God poured out fire of revival, lives were changed and a new nation was born. The presence of prophetic preachers is also being replicated in Nigeria, but are lives being changed, is there a revival? There is a need for the church to divorce it self from trivial issues like should women wear trousers or should men wear jewellery and focus on teaching the right values that will indeed birth a new nation. The ministry of Jesus focused on changing hearts and lives and that is what our pastors should bother themselves with on Sundays.

 Sociologist say 3-5% of the people in a society can change it. That is 3-5% with creative thinking, vision and influence who are strategically positioned are enough to bring about change. With more than 50% of Nigerians being Christians and actively going to church, the church is therefore a veritable institution that can bring about the much desired change in Nigeria. Indeed there is no other institution that has as many local branches as the church in Nigeria. The large number in itself is not enough; the church must of a necessity understand and accept its responsibility for the development of Nigeria.

 There is no doubt that Nigeria is on the verge of an economic revival but does the church understand its role in this revival? However for this revival to find expression in Nigeria and the lives that Nigerians lead, it will be expedient for the church to apply itself to fulfilling some simple and basic responsibilities.

 First, the church must ensure that it defends our national democracy. It has been said that Nigeria is bedevilled by bad politics and politicians. The church must therefore ensure that only the right person gets the job. Democracy is a game of numbers and with her population she can ensure that that the wrong persons are not given leadership responsibilities at all levels of the human society.

 Secondly, the church should not just involve itself in the election process but it must continue to demand accountability from elected persons. The military dictators could not have succeeded if the church had risen as one body against these evil men. For instance in Argentina, the people at one time rose up and forced removed the president from office not once but twice in a spate of two weeks.

 Thirdly, it is the responsibility of the church to teach its members how to become better individuals helping them imbibe better values that will help them lead better lives and be more productive. Kinoti (1994) identified wasteful aspects of African culture such as disregard for time as a clog in the wheel of our society. Musveni (1992) identified lack of aggressiveness in business. The church in promoting development must therefore teach values that encourage work and discourage waste. The church is essentially an institution that teaches, it must therefore teach appropriate values that will support nation building, and discourage activities which are inimical to the growth and development of the nation.

 Furthermore, development is a process of enlarging people’s choices. According to Adeyemo (2003) development is not an end in itself nor is it a mere business that can be measured in relation to a ‘bottom line’. It is about people, societies and life. The church is an institution that has direct impact on its members, therefore is in a better position to package and administer support programmes for its members.

 Finally, the church is the intermediary between celestial realm and the terrestrial realm. It must therefore not relent in its responsibility of praying for the nation. Indeed, we can make moves on earth but except heaven backs it up it will be an activity in futility.

 According to Chinua Achebe (1983) we have lost the 20^th century, are we bent on seeing that our children also lose the 21^st? It is therefore time for the church to seize being spectators in the political and socio-economic processes of our society. But they should rise up to the occasion as active participants in the political and socio-economic processes of our society. What we need is not more prayer conferences, crusades but for our churches to take their rightful place in the society. The bible calls the church the salt of the earth, the light of the world, there is no way we will perform this divine assignment if we decide to remain in our closets and in our cathedrals supposedly praying for our nation. There is no need for Christians to continue to deceive themselves and live like hypocrites. When they saw Peter they said to him you must be one of the followers of Jesus the way you speak show it. When they word Christians was first used it was because of the way they comported themselves. If we must be true Christians our actions and our words must show it. If the Christian community in Nigeria can abide with the teachings of the bible and conduct itself with appropriate decency and decorum then economic backwardness in Nigeria will only be found in history books.

Robot  # 1 | 18.02.2009 23:58

THE CHURCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIAOLAYEMI Olukayode It is not because of the billions that our politicians and their military counterparts have laundered in Swiss banks that Nigeria is classified as a third world country, it is the little things that we all do or better still don’t do either individually or collectively that has brought us this harsh reality. The bible says, it is little foxes that spoil the vine. If we all decide to drive on the right side of traffic there will be no need for “LASTMA” officials in Lagos, if we will all stop throwing dirt on the road, there will be no need for “DRAIN-DUCKS” also in Lagos. We might say is it not minimum wage they are paid monthly, how can that possibly be the bane of our society. Quite alright, such unnecessary expenditure might not have put us where we are as a people today but such resources could have been channelled into more productive ventures that will and would ...Read the full article.

Sesan Ibitoye  # 2 | 19.02.2009 06:51

Very well said. However, we must also note the following: 1. Are all visitors to our various churches Christians? I doubt; as thieves and robbers are common in our church halls. So, the figures we parade may very well be incorrect. 2. Are we genuinely focussed on the real task God assigned to the church? How can we correctly preach faith and prosperity? Food for thought. 3. Are our leaders ready to live like Christ? What are the things dear to Christ? 4. Where is the place of character in our churches? Change requires a critical mass. If all those who daily throng our churches are set on the path of righteousness, there will be a change in our land. But it is not all gloom and doom as the nation is still being held together by God through the watchers. I only pray more will join them so that this critical mass may become a reality soon.

Danmeka  # 3 | 19.02.2009 10:02

Olayemi, thanks for your article, Sesan,your contribution is highly commendable. Provocative. Outrageous. Nonconformist. John the Baptist didn’t get high marks from many of the social and religious leaders of his day. Yet Jesus referred to him as a model of greatness. How many of our Church leaders would fit this category? How many of our Church leaders helps us find the timeless significance of this “voice crying in the wilderness" especially the tyranny,poverty,oppression in Nigeria? As much as in the past, significance is found not by following the crowd but by hearing the call to a new kind of greatness;meaning is not by the biggest church,largest followers,or amount of money you collect that you make an impact. Our politicians are adept at spinning their policies to advance their own agenda. During political campaigns, spin doctors and some Church leaders massage stories to ensure that their candidate is cast in a positive light—often at the expense of the truth which these leaders know about but keep silent so as not to offend them and miss out on economical and political benefits . This leaves us with serious questions about what the real truth is. Whether formal and liturgical or casual,money-spinning and spontaneous, church services are occasions to declare God's worthiness and to give Him praise. But centuries of church history reveal how quickly worship can degenerate into empty ritualism. This occurs whenever God's people harden their hearts and fail to obey His Word. The United Kingdom's National Health Service was a policy that was inplemented by a politicans(Christains) who fought against the general disapproval of the medical establishment in creating the British National Health Service. Although there are often disputes about its organisation and funding, British parties to this day must still voice their general support for the NHS in order to remain electable. That is a legacy that they will be remembered for, as for some of leaders even they call themselves Christains and attend Holy Annonting Nights so as to deceive people, they will be remembered as looters of the treasury. If Jesus Christ came today, how many our Church leaders will be among the models of greatness.

draftman  # 4 | 19.02.2009 12:20

Since most xtians has not prove themselves trustworthy, we cannot trust them to be part of the development in nigeria. We do not need another 419 pastors to have influence. With all these churches in every corner, our moral values has not changes, only our pocket being emptied by the pimp pastors. Religion has made the world unsafe and non peaceful.

Anioma777  # 5 | 19.02.2009 14:32

Very funny article heading. Church and development in Nigeria....you must be joking. After consistent bad leadership and mismanagement of our God given resources the church in particular "these new age pentecostal,evangelical mumbo jumbo evil churches" have more than contributed their quota in ruining Nigeria. To be honest I will rather take my chances with corrupt politicians than most of these 419 self ordained evil pastors. I often wonder why many of these church pastors are not as humble or simple as Jesus Christ. Until they emulate Jesus Christ you cannot expect most of these Devil's agents to have any significant and positive effect on Nigeria's development. Its a good thing I don't have any political ambitions. If I was in power one of the first things I will do is to destroy and imprison most of these false prophets and educate the millions of gullible Nigerians that flock to these dwellings of sin just because they have a sweet mouth.

olusiji  # 6 | 19.02.2009 15:03

The climate of piety has changed. I went to a Catholic school in rural Ondo where Canadian Brothers came to build and run schools to make success out of people whose parents were poor like me. They built good values, prayerful moments, calming siestas and ultimately oportunities for the hopeless. That meant very little to me then and everything I got I took for granted. The Canadian Brothers lived very simple lives and rode around town in bicycles. Compare them with today's African miracle worker pastors. Their long range high velocity jets, their prosperity preachings, the tithes they must collect if you will not suffer a devastating curse and the banal poverty they leave for those who get caught by their sweet tongues. They have built Universities and even the children of those who they duped to make this possible caanot afford the tuition. I wish I was in coloinal evangelism. At least they would tell me to close my eyes to pray before they rob me.