Integrity in Nigerian Politics

Goodfriday Nwachuku Aghawenu

Description

Secular humanism has taken the world by storm – including the realm of African politics. Believing that religion is irrelevant, humanism asserts that men and women need no divine help in knowing what is right or wrong, valid or invalid, good or bad, as they are mature moral agents in their own rights. Integrity in Nigerian Politics challenges this assertion, providing an introduction to Christian political ethics and offering a powerful argument for its relevance in the complex moral terrain of today’s political affairs.
Rooted specifically in Nigeria’s political history, and the social, religious, and economic challenges it has faced, this study explores the role of integrity in practical politics and the implications of its neglect. Establishing that it is the character of God that is the foundation for successful governance, Dr Aghawenu demonstrates that it is ineffective, impractical, and ultimately dangerous to ignore the ethical insights Christianity has to offer the political realm.
This important work challenges the church to overcome the sacred-secular divide that so often permeates its public engagement and to recognize that it has what it needs to transform the nature of democratic politics in Nigeria, in Africa, and throughout the world.

Informations

• Publié par: Langham Creative Projects
• Date de parution: 01 février 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781839734502
• Langue: English

Extrait

This book is well written as it coherently articulates the moral issues prevalent in the Nigerian democratic system. No doubt, the work is one of the best texts composed with reference to biblical political ethics in several ways. It is sufficiently comprehensive, analytical, insightful, applicable, and practicable in the classroom and outside of it in scholarship engagements. This is an important book for everyone interested in Nigerian democratic ethos of biblical extraction.
Jacob K. Ayantayo, PhD
Professor of Religious Ethics, Religion and Society,
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
This highly readable book on Christian political ethics, which is focused on Nigeria, is well-thought through, insightful, well-researched, and distinctively evangelical in approach. It encompasses all that is necessary for African Christians, and indeed non-Christians in Africa, to understand ethical politics. It makes clear why the ultimate demand from God for politicians in Africa is integrity. This subject matter seems to be the major challenge in the African political process. This book challenges Nigerians in particular to think well and it provides the tools they need to serve in a God-honoring way in politics. The author articulates, and rightly so, that the man or woman who “has integrity must be of sound moral principle, honest and upright in conduct as well as in purity of the heart.” The book presents itself in a way that students of ethics and political science will particularly appreciate.
Deji Isaac Ayegboyin, PhD
Professor of Religious Studies,
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Visiting Professor,
Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria

Integrity in Nigerian Politics
An Introduction to Christian Political Ethics
GoodFriday N. Aghawenu

© 2021 GoodFriday N. Aghawenu
Published 2021 by Langham Global Library
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ISBNs:
978-1-83973-057-3 Print
978-1-83973-450-2 ePub
978-1-83973-451-9 Mobi
978-1-83973-452-6 PDF
GoodFriday N. Aghawenu has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the Author of this work.
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Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV). Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-1-83973-057-3
Cover & Book Design: projectluz.com
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Contents

Cover


Introduction


Abbreviations


1 The Concept of Morality, Politics, and Integrity


Morality and Ethics


Politics and the Bible


Integrity in Politics


Characteristics of Integrity in Politics


Biblical Characters of Integrity


Conclusion


2 Politics in Relation to Ethics and Religion


Politics and Ethics


Moral Values in Politics


Politics and Religion


Conclusion


3 A Historical Survey of Nigerian Political Society


Pre-Colonial Politics in Nigeria


Colonial Politics in Nigeria


Formative Years of Modern Nigeria


Independence Politics in Nigeria


Military Politics in Nigeria


4 New Era of Democratic Politics in Nigeria


Inter-Testament Democratic Politics in Nigeria


New Era of Democracy in Nigerian Politics


Moral Issues in the Nascent Democratic Politics


5 Moral Bankruptcy in Nigerian Politics


Causes of Moral Bankruptcy in Nigerian Politics


Effects of Moral Bankruptcy in Nigerian Politics


Conclusion


6 Inculcation of Integrity into Nigerian Politics


Politicians and Integrity


Political Parties and Integrity


Role of the Nigerian Government


Responsibility of the Electorates


Enhancement of Public Opinion


Christians and Nigerian Politics


7 The Way Forward in Nigerian Politics


New Orientation on the Political Process


Godly Leadership in Nigerian Politics


Theocentric Approach to Political Life


Bibliography


About Langham Partnership

Endnotes
Introduction
Democratic politics has come to occupy a pivotal position in Nigeria’s government today. Political activities are playing increasing roles in the shaping of individuals and culture. Significant decisions which are determining the destiny of the people of Nigeria are being made, not so much in the religious realm, as in the political process at the local, state, national, and global levels. Nigerian Christianity seems to drag its institutional feet on the most crucial issues of our day while political forces have moved in to right the social wrongs in the society. [1] The moral issues posed by Nigeria’s democratic political processes are far too crucial for any serious religious person to ignore. [2] Thus, this book is an attempt to proffer solutions from the perspective of biblical Christianity, that is, to apply the biblical revelation [3] of political ethics to one of the pressing issues of the day – the moral bankruptcy in Nigerian politics.
The present level of integrity in Nigeria’s democratic politics is very low. Integrity as an ethical or moral virtue is essential to any system of government. But this has been neglected in Nigerian government, hence, integrity is lacking in the governance of the day. Historically, the attitudes and practices of Nigerian political leaders, politicians, and their disciples, whether military or civilian, reveal a long and startling episode of unethical political practices.
Most contemporary Nigerian politicians and leaders are engaging in various vices such as falsehood, murder, infidelity, disloyalty, cheating, stealing, and all manner of corruption in the name of democratic politics. Political ruffians, thugs, vandals, arsonists, and assassins are the order of the day. Integrity is no longer viewed as an essential value. Politics is seen by many Nigerians as the quickest way to make money and to become popular. Thus, to grab political power becomes a do or die affair.
Many successive governments in Nigeria have shown concern about the declining moral ethos by launching various ethically orientated programs such as the Ethical Revolution (in 1983), the War against Indiscipline (WAI, in 1984), the Mass Mobilization for Economic Recovery, Self-Reliance and Social Justice (MAMSER, in 1987), the War against Indiscipline and Corruption (WAIC, in 1994) and the Obasanjo War against Corruption (WAC, in 1999). These programs yielded no results because their initiators themselves did not abide by the tenets of the programs. [4] Thus, the issue of integrity in national politics demands urgent attention. It is a striking indictment on our political system because many of our politicians cannot lead by example and therefore cannot promote high ethical standards and a sound moral ethos.
This negligence has generated some socio-ethical problems that demand academic research. This research work is in pursuance of the view that an academic enquiry should be carried