Poverty and Christian Welfare Scheme: Evidence from the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) Osun State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18533/journal.v4i5.703Keywords:
Christian, Church of Nigeria, Osun state, poverty, welfare scheme.Abstract
Existing studies on welfare schemes in Nigerian Churches have focussed on the political and economic perspectives, neglecting the ethical dimension which has a stronger basis in the Bible. This study, therefore, examined the welfare scheme of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Osun State, Nigeria as evidence with a view to assessing their method of generating welfare resources, as well as their implementation and monitoring strategy against the provision of the Bible on welfare ethics. Data were obtained through interviews, observation and questionnaire. In-depth interviews were conducted with 90 randomly selected key informants including 12 clergy, 24 poor members of the church, 18 welfare scheme officers and 36 beneficiaries. Four welfare schemes were observed between 1991 -2012 in a total of 30 Anglican Churches in major towns in Osun State. A total of 600 copies of the questionnaire were purposively administered to beneficiaries, church members and welfare scheme officers. Out of these, 550 were retrieved and analysed using percentages. The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) generated resources for welfare schemes through compulsory levies, donations, annual harvest proceeds, offering collection ,tithes/offering and foreign assistance .Four categories of welfare schemes were adopted: Health care delivery, vocational rehabilitation, micro-credit loans, and women’s empowerment. One implementation strategy was adopted, namely, social advocacy. The church utilized sensitisation mechanism, widow retreat workshops, free health campaign, radio/television programmes and supportive counselling. Welfare scheme for the Church of Nigeria offered socio-economic benefits to members of the Church, but they were weakened by limited human coverage, insufficient funds and poor monitoring. These call for moral reorientation on the part of stakeholders in order to inculcate the ethics of justice and fairness as enshrined in the Bible.
References
Akande, L.B. (2005). An Examination of Poverty in Nigeria: A Christian Perspective. In Ade P. Dopamu, (Eds.). God: The Contemporary Discussion. The Nigerian Association for the Study of Religions. Ilorin: Decency Printers and Stationeries Ltd., 534.
Aku, P.S., Ibrahim M.J., Bulus, Y.D. (1997). Perspective on Poverty and Poverty Alleviation Strategies for Nigeria Nigerian Economic Society, Department of Economics, University Ibadan.
Anselm Ado O.S.B. (2002). Nature Power: A Christian Approach to Herbal Medicine (Revised Edition). Akure: Don Bosco Publisher.
Atolagbe, M.O.B. (1990). Principles and Practice of Social Welfare. Ibadan External Program me Studies: The Department of Adult Education, University of Ibadan.
Constitution of the Social and Economic Development Commission of Osun Anglican Diocese (SEDECOAD) (2009).
Diocese of Osun (Anglican Communion) (1st Edition). (2007). Outline History of Churches in the Diocese of Osun (Anglican Communion). Osogbo: Safe Sight Publishers.
Dzurgba, A. (2006). Poverty in Africa Today: A Sociological Perspective. Adelugba, D. et.al. (Eds.).Wole Soyinka at 70 Festschrist, Lace Occasional Publications and Partners L0gistics Limited, 733-735.
Dzurgba, A. zurgba, A. (2007). Contemporary Ethics: Theory and Issues. Ibadan: John Archer’s Publishers.
Federal office of Statistics core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire Reports Osun State.
Maduagwu, A. (2000). Alleviating Poverty in Nigeria Africa, http://www.afbis.com/analysis/alleviating poverty.htm assessed.
Ministry of Information, Information Division, Osogbo, Ila 6/14, 3-5.
National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (Needs), Abuja 2005.
Nnamani, C., (2005). Poverty in Surplus: Water, Water Everywhere, a Little to Drink. In Daily Sun -Justice Chike Idigbe Memorial Lecture, Faculty Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Obadan, M. T. (2003). Poverty Alleviation Policies and Strategies, Training Programmes Report. African Capacity Building Foundation, National Centre for Economic Management and Administration Report in Nigeria.
Olupona, J.K. and Falola, T. (1991). Contemporary Religious Terrain. Olupona J.K. and Falola T. (Eds.). Religion and Society in Nigeria: Historical and Sociological Perspectives. Ibadan: Specrum Book Limited, 31-40.
Olupona, J.K. (2009).Understanding Poverty and its Alleviation in African Diaspora. P.J. Paris (Ed). Religion and Poverty: Pan African Perspectives. Durham: Duke.
Omosade, J.A. and Dopamu. P.A. (1997). West African Traditional Religion. Ibadan: Oniboneje Press Ltd.
Osun State Annual and Investment Digest, Osogbo: Incorporating Database Vicin Link, Nigeria Limited 2006.
Oyelana, A.S. (1996). Attempts at Church Ecumenism in Nigeria (1909-1965). Orita: Ibadan Journal of Religious Studies Vol. XXVII/1-2, 36-39.
Oyinlola, O. (2007). Let’s Move Forward. 16th Anniversary Address by the Osun State Governor on Monday 27th August, 2007.
Peschke, K.H. (1992). Christian Ethics: Moral Theology in the Light of Vatican 11 Volume 2 (Revised Edition). India, Bangalore.
Popoola, B. T.O. (2009). Women’s Vocational Centre of all Saints Cathedral, Oke-Onitea Area, Oba road, Osogbo.
National and State Provisional Total of Census (2006). Published in the Federal Government’s Extraordinary Gazette, no. 4 of 19th January 2007.
The Cathedral of All Saints (2009). Report of Achievement in the year 2008/2009 to the ‘Greater Chapter’, 2009.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
