Religious Studies
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Item THE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMES OF MOUNTAIN OF FIRE AND MIRACLES MINISTRIES IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA(2023-08) GBENLE , G. O.Economic Empowerment Programmes (EEPs), which refer to the response of non-governmental and faith-based organisations to the issues of poverty and unemployment, are central to the operations of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM). Previous studies on EEPs in Nigeria concentrated largely on empirical relationship between government intervention programmes and poverty alleviation, the European Union and United Nations Millennium Development Goals, with little attention paid to the inputs made by faith-based organisations. This study was, therefore, designed to examine the EEPs of MFM, with a view to determining the form of EEPs, their strategies, impact and challenges in Lagos State, Nigeria. Robert Barro’s Religious Facilitating Economic Empowerment Theory was used as the framework, while the descriptive design was adopted. Purposive sampling was used to select Alimosho, Agege, Amuwo-Odofin, Ikorodu and Lagos-mainland in Lagos State. These were the five places where the MFM’s EEPs were actively and prominently executed. In-depth interviews were conducted with 130 purposively selected respondents: 10 Programme Coordinators (PCs), 25 Pastors, 15 Church members and 80 EEPs beneficiaries. Five sessions of focus group discussions were conducted: two sessions with 10 PCs, one session with five pastors, and two sessions with 15 beneficiaries, comprising (10 men and 20 women). The data were content-analysed. Three EEPs were identified: skill acquisition, financial scheme and vocational empowerment; and four strategies (vocational training, provision of loans, financial grants and distribution of vocational materials) were adopted in executing the programmes. Skill acquisition employed a vocational training strategy to reach out to 553 farmers, 505 fashion designers, 204 caterers, 301 information technologists, 105 food processors, 264 leather processors and 106 bag makers. Financial scheme deployed a provision of 5% interest loan in the range of N50,000.00 to N500,000.00 and reached out to 120 certified applicants. Also, financial scheme adopted the financial grants method and gave out N24,000,000.00 to 80 merchants and 40 retailers. They claimed that the grants were spent to expand their businesses and pay outstanding shop rents. Also, N8,000,000.00 was given to 80 widows to start their 80 poultry businesses. Vocational empowerment used a vocational materials strategy to reach out to 554 certified beneficiaries: 356 industrial sewing machines, 104 leather sewing machines, 20 soap mixers, 42 catering materials, six bead stoning machines, five cameras, three laptops, two photocopiers, 10 food grinding and processing machines, and six cloth dryers. Through the skill acquisition programme, the rate of unemployment among the church members was reduced from 4,850 to 2,038. The financial scheme programme relieved the beneficiaries of depending on the church for their means of livelihood. The vocational empowerment programme promoted financial autonomy for the concerned MFM members. However, inconsistent follow-up of trainees, non-repayment of loans, mismanagement of funds and selling off of empowerment materials by some beneficiaries were reported as major challenges confronting the execution of each of the EEPs. The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries has contributed to reducing the problem of poverty and unemployment in the Nigerian government through its economic empowerment programmes in Lagos State, Nigeria.Item POLICY DEVELOPMENT IN METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA, 1962-2020(2023-08) ONOJA, G. O.Policy development, an iterative process designed to help organisations advance policies to make them run efficiently in the realisation of their corporate objectives, is pivotal for organisational success, including the Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN). Existing studies on MCN have focused largely on historical development, renewal movements and doctrinal exegesis, with scant attention paid to its policy development. This study was, therefore, designed to examine policy development in MCN, which was orchestrated by the constitutional reforms from 1962, when the Church was granted autonomy from the British Methodist, to 2020, when the MCN held Constitutional Conference and reviewed the MCN Constitution, 2006. This was with a view to identifying the trends in policy development, its attendant benefits and challenges to the church. Anthony Giddens’ Structuration Theory was adopted as the framework, while the descriptive design was used. The purposive sampling technique was used to select 31 members of the clergy and 33 members of the laity based on their experience on policy issues in MCN. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 episcopates, seven presbyters, eight priests, two deacons, one deaconess, four evangelists, four lay presidents, 10 stewards, seven fellowship presidents and seven former lay officers because they were involved as policymakers and implementers in the Conference area. Church records and the MCN Constitutions, 1962, 1976, 1990 and 2006, were consulted. The data were thematically analysed. The policy developments in MCN was a reflection of the changing dynamics in administering the church. The Deed of Foundation, 1962, granted the Church autonomy, while the MCN Constitution, 1976, addressed ecumenical matters with the introduction of Episcopacy and the adoption of titles, such as Patriarch, Archbishops and Bishops. The MCN Constitution, 1990, focused on reconciliation and reunification of the church after 14 years of internal crises. The MCN Constitution, 2006, which was in use until 2020 repositioned the church for effective ministry. The benefits derived from the policies include the introduction of new methods, such as the reordering of the ministry, charismatic worship and numerical growth from two districts at autonomy to 80 dioceses in 2020. The policies equally enhanced the national impact of the church in the education and health sectors, while it achieved global relevance in international outreach mission to Gabon, Togo, Dubai, United Kingdom and United States of America. Moreover, MCN’s leadership role in World Methodist Council was firmly established. However, there was the erosion of Methodist heritage and traditions, like simple hierarchies of priesthood and unelaborate liturgy as a result of the policy. There were also the Presidential and Patriarchal conflict from 1976 to 1990; partial implementation of the policies and financial burdens were evident in the irregular payment of Church workers’ salaries. Social change underpinned policies for autonomy, episcopacy and repositioning in Methodist Church Nigeria, from 1962 to 2020, with attendant benefits and challenges.Item CHRISTIAN CONCEPT OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP AND ITS RELEVANCE TO POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA(2023-08) ODEYALE, A. E.The Christian idea of Servant Leadership (SL), which connotes honouring God and serving humanity (John 13:1-5), is germane to political leadership globally, Nigeria inclusive. Existing studies on leadership concentrated largely on its types, styles and qualities, with scant attention paid to the Christian concept of SL in relation to politics in Oyo State. This study was, therefore, designed to examine the concept of SL from a Christian perspective in the context of political leadership in Oyo State. This was with a view to determining its nature and applicability to governance in the state. Robert Greenleaf’s Theory of Leadership was adopted as the framework, while the phenomenological design was used. The three senatorial districts in Oyo State were enumerated. Convenience sampling was employed to select from each senatorial districts of the local governments: Oyo South (Ibadan North and Ido), Oyo Central (Oyo West and Surulere) and Oyo North (Iseyin and Kajola). In-depth interviews were conducted with 120 purposively selected respondents (60 Christian politicians, 30 members of the clergy and 30 Christians representing the general public across the senatorial districts) based on their involvement in politics in the state. Six sessions of focus group discussions were held with the participants. The data were subjected to thematic analysis. The Christian concept of SL emphasises love for one’s neighbour as oneself, which is central to all laws (Mark 12: 31-32); justice, an important value to liberal political ideal in the fairness of judgment (Amos 5:24); and tolerance, accommodating contrary opinions and giving equal opportunity (2Tessallonians 3: 6-12). The concept stresses transparency, which should manifest in project execution and policy implementation (Nehemiah 5:14-16); and patriotism, which is genuine commitment to the well-being of one’s country and her people (Romans 13: 1-5). Since the creation of Oyo State in 1976, Christians have held many positions of authority, such as governor, deputy governor, speaker of the state assembly and commissioners. Commenting on the governance in the state, Christian politician respondents claimed that, despite the significant involvement of Christians in the state politics, the political atmosphere was laden with negative values, such as selfishness, greed and hatred, which contradict love. There was injustice in the distribution of amenities, as opposed to justice, as well as insensitivity to political differences and opinions, in contradistinction to tolerance; this led to political violence and insecurity. Members of the clergy submitted that there was also alleged corruption in the form of misappropriation and embezzlement of funds, which tainted transparency and engendered inept administration. Nonchalant attitude to development and people’s welfare, in disregard for patriotism, were also identified by the other respondent - Christians representing the general public. All this, culminated in infrastructure decay, like bad roads, schools and hospital facilities across the state, high level of poverty, unemployment, as well as a threat to human value well-being.Contrary to the Christian values inherent in servant leadership, many of the Christians holding political positions in Oyo State did not deploy efficiently those values to foster a favourable political atmosphere in the stateItem The rise of Ethiopian churches in Nigeria: a reaction against religious colonisation in Africa(Department of Religious and Cultural Studies Faculty of Humanities, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, 2022) Mepaiyeda, S. M.Colonisation of Africa by the European nations in the 19th century could be adjudged as a means of development in some facets of life, yet its resultant effects among others was cultural enslavement of the indigenes. Such negative effect was rebuffed by a few educated A fricans withnationalistic consciousness. In a similar vein, A frican Christians reacted against what can be termed religious colonisation orchestrated by European Missionaries who among other evils, ostracised African Christians from the mainline churches because of polygamy, condemned the institution of chieftaincy and grossly discriminated against the natives in the polity of the Church. The inhuman treatment of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther and Rev James Johnson exemplified this anti-African attitude of the European Missionaries. Hence the emergence of Ethiopian Churches in Nigeriatowards the end of the 19th century and at the turn of the 20th century served as a religious expression of nationalism in Africa. There fore, this paper seeks to investigate the dynamism of religious expressions of nationalism in Nigeria as typified by The African Church and others with nationalistic tendencies with a view to determining how the claims of religious nationalists interfaced with Henry Venn's principles of evangelisation in Africa. Historical method was adopted for the collection of data.Item Evaluating the significance of radical reformation exemplified by Lutheran spiritualists and the Anabaptists to global christianity(2021) Mepaiyeda, S. M.The efforts of the fourteen century revivalist movements served as eye-openers to the rots in the Church. All of them leveraged on Biblical information as strategy to sanitize the Church that was invaded by worldliness and guided largely by traditions, human pronouncements as well as some unscriptural practices. With the sixteen century decisive reformation masterminded by Martin Luther, people had thought that the efforts of the reformers were the last move that Christianity needed to sanitize the Church but the rise of radical reformers suggested that over-emphasis of some doctrinal issues at the expense of others of great importance by the classical reformers deprived the Church of reconstruction it needed. This paper attempts to examine the roles played by some individuals and groups to radicalize Christianity through their brand of reformation; and consequently bring to the fore the implications of their expressed concerns on the Church, using historical method.Item The interface between the sacrificial rites in yoruba religion and African indigenous churches(Nigerian Association of Church History and Missiological Studies, 2020-12) Mepaiyeda, S. M.The idea of sacrifice which by definition has remained multi-dimensional and generalised has continued to be an attractive concept in religious and theological discourse. The reason is that sacrifice seems to connote different meanings to different people, especially adherents of different religions. Even in the same religion such as Christianity for instance, people express divergent understanding of the concept. To some groups of Christians, the suffering and death of Jesus Christ epitomise the sacrifice sufficient for all generations. But some Christian denominations share the view of African Religions, which is similar to Judaist religion on sacrifice as a daily and practical offering of food, objects or the lives of animals to God, the ancestors or spirits for the purpose of achieving individual or general well- being of the society. This paper therefore seeks to bring to the fore some sacrificial practices among the African Indigenous Churches which have resemblance in Yoruba religion with a view to determining the validity of such practices within the biblical context and the history of African Christianity.Item The roles of indigenous missionaries and christians in the expansion of christianity in Nigeria, 1860-1969(AOSIS, 2019) Mepaiyeda, S. M; Popoola, T.The contextual perspective that this article challenges is the neglect of significant contributions of indigenous African missionaries and Christians by some early missionary historiographers whose writings largely focused on European missionaries. This created a lacuna in the proper documentation of African missionary enterprises. The research will not only serve as a platform to discover the socio-religious importance of past African Christian heroes of Nigerian origin but also provide additional information on existing African historiography not from the perspective of Europeans but Africans, using both theological and scientific approaches with the aim of presenting more accurate records in church history. This will serve as a biography of African Christianity. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article has intra- and interdisciplinary implications for African philosophy, African traditional religion and ethics because most theories and views of Africans in these fields are yet to be largely researched to bring into the limelight their relevance to African realities.Item Responsible stewardship of the environment: ecumenical and ethical antidotes for peace and eco-justice in Nigeria(Crowther Theological Publishers, Crowther Graduate Theological Seminar, Igbein, Abeokuta, Ogun State, 2019) Mepaiyeda, S.; Eluwole, S.The expectation of humans to live in a world that is peaceful has been a mirage because of their failure to recognise the nexus between justice and peace. It is no doubt that the concept of peace has taken central position in global conferences- political, economic or religious, yet, it seems people have only been paying lip-service to its realisation. Also, they fail to adequately address gender inequality, dehumanizing attitude of some stronger nations towards the weaker ones, and more significantly, the trending issue of the destruction of non-human creatures by humans. These factors among many others have orchestrated the tension that is being experienced in the cosmic order. This paper therefore advocates for mutual respect among humans irrespective of gender or race and responsible earth stewardship, especially by all Africans, so as to achieve peace in the society. Special emphasis has been placed on eco-justice considering its far-reaching significance to the restoration of peace. Sociological approach was adopted in gathering data that cut across many disciplines.Item Religion and the Nigerian state(VEDA Publications, 2019) Mepaiyeda, S. M.One interesting character observed about religion in Nigeria is that it has played both the anabolic and catabolic roles in the society. It has been used as a catalyst for building up as well as instrument for demolishing peaceful coexistence of the citizens of the country. Historical evidences attest to the fact that religious resurgence most especially in the northern part of the country led to violent riots that claimed the lives of more than 100,000 Christians and Muslims within a space of 34 years (1977 and 2011). From examination carried out on the perennial incidence of religio-political crises in Nigeria, factors responsible include the missionary spirit of the Christian faith which the Muslims could not tolerate; persistent attempts to nationalize sectional interest; the surreptitious use of religion by the government to achieve economic or political advantages and the reluctance to accept a change in certain areas. Having considered the effects of religious crises on the psyche of the citizens, the paper recommends that Nigerians must come to terms with the religious plurality of the country and the imperatives of secularity. Harmonious coexistence demands sacrifice from various religious groups within the state while attitudinal re-engineering is recommended at all levels of religious and political leadership. The expectation of humans to live in a world that is peaceful has been a mirage because of their failure to recognise the nexus between justice and peace. It is no doubt that the concept of peace has taken central position in global conferences- political, economic or religious, yet, it seems people have only been paying lip-service to its realisation. Also, they fail to adequately address gender inequality, dehumanizing attitude of some stronger nations towards the weaker ones, and more significantly, the trending issue of the destruction of non-human creatures by humans. These factors among many others have orchestrated the tension that is being experienced in the cosmic order. This paper therefore advocates for mutual respect among humans irrespective of gender or race and responsible earth stewardship, especially by all Africans, so as to achieve peace in the society. Special emphasis has been placed on eco-justice considering its far-reaching significance to the restoration of peace. Sociological approach was adopted in gathering data that cut across many disciplines.Item An examination of the ethical implications of violence in Abrahamic religions for Nigerian commonwealth(Nigerian Association for the Study of Religions (NASR), 2018-07) Mepaiyeda, S. M.Religion is a terrain that guarantees communion between the object of worship and adherents. This implies that religious beliefs and activities or practices of a particular religion should not be forced on adherents of other religions. But the contrary is the case in many climes, especially in Nigeria, where people flout the principles of religious pluralism. Often times, such disregard for tolerance of adherents of other religions in a diverse society, breeds violence that leads to monumental loss of lives and property thereby impinging negatively on Nigerian Commonwealth. Therefore, this research is highly interested, firstly, in the examination of the veracity of the claim by adherents of Christianity and Islam that their religions epitomise peace and secondly examine the factors that trigger religious violence vis-a-vis the ethical implications of such religious induced violence on the societal psyche. This becomes imperative in order to critically address its effects with a view to reducing inter and intra religious conflicts that have engulfed Nigeria in particular and some nations of the world in general. In view of the fact that this research falls within the ambit of contextual study, phenomenological method will be employed to carry out the primary investigation; while literary works of scholars shall be consulted in order to elucidate information on the subject matter.