The Role of the Church Leaders in Curbing Corruption in Nigeria

Abstract

Corruption is a vice that has eaten deep into every aspect of life in Nigeria and this has contributed to the high rate of poverty in the nation.The privileged few that are in positions of leadership used their power to drain the resources that are supposed to be shared in form of providing social amenities to the citizenry. This situation has dashed the hope of many; goals were rendered unattainable because several ills are recorded in every nook and cranny of the nation. The church of God that should provide solutions to this menace is also neck-deep in corruption to the extent that such evils as embezzlement, exhortation, bribery, rape, ritual killings and the likes are found among church leaders. Some Nigerians on attaining power attempt to eradicate corruption but their effort is yet to produce the desired result. This paper argues that church leaders are supposed to serve as a vanguard of truth and justice in order to checkmate the activities of the secular authority. An attempt is made through utilizing historical, narrative and sociological methods to consider the issue of corruption conceptually, the Nigeria's situation vis-à-vis the role Christian leaders should play in eradicating corruption in Nigeria. The paper concludes by discussing essential qualities church leaders should possess in order to move the country forward. It is established that the church as a united body of Christ has a sacred duty to play and be the nation's conscience.