Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Although Nigerian church leaders have made important contributions to Nigerian society through education, the health services and other forms of social service, they have, nevertheless, had a minimal impact on the political and economic sectors which are the major sources of policy formation, infrastructure development, job creation, industrialisation, poverty reduction and the control of environmental hazards. Accordingly, this study, within the ambit of theology and community development, seeks to understand how, through development-oriented church leadership, the church in Nigeria may contribute more meaningfully to the sociopolitical and economic transformation of the postmilitary (democratic) Nigerian society, partcularly in the light of the poverty, underdevelopment, corruption and poor leadership prevalent in the country. In addition, the study seeks to ascertain what the main components of that social transformation agenda should be. In endeavouring to understand the causes of the poverty, underdevelopment, corruption and poor leadership in Nigeria and the means through which these factors have been perpetuated, the researcher studied relevant literature on the development, sociopolitical and economic body of knowledge as its relates to Nigeria and beyond. In addition, leadership trends within the global and Nigerian contexts from precolonial to present times were explored in order to understand both the contributing factors to the inadequate leadership within Nigeria and how existing trends may be reversed. In order to evaluate the contributions of church leaders to Nigerian society, the social and theological discourses of church leaders within the Nigerian context were studied. An empirical study of the leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Lagos Presbyterian church (1999–2010) has enabled the researcher to offer proposals regarding a more meaningful engagement on the part of church leaders while the discoveries emanating from the literature study were also tested. Based on the reflections on the empirical study, perspectives and recommendations have been presented in the hope of assisting church leaders to engage more meaningfully as catalysts of change in the social transformation of Nigerian society. The theoretical frameworks guiding this study include Robert Osmer‟s practical theological methodology, missional theology as premised on the missio Dei and the pragmatic ecumenical development debate. The study has shown that the persistence of poverty, underdevelopment, corruption and poor leadership in Nigeria are the result of the failure of successive sociopolitical, economic and religious leaders to forge the correct mindset among Nigerians as regards developing human, natural, economic, infrastructural, technological and theological resources within Nigerian society from colonial times to the present day. In an effort to meet these challenges, it is essential that Nigerian development paradigms should seek to incorporate the following elements: the conscientised, responsible self, value for the community and the stewardship of resources while the sustainable transformational approach to social transformation could guide the church‟s social ministry. In line with such an approach, the harnessing of the resources of the church, Nigerian society and the global community through the medium of church leaders should be underpinned by collaboration, innovation, stewardship and values. The aim of such an approach is to encourage individuals, both leaders and followers, as well as institutions and systems, to promote the wellbeing of all humankind and to uphold the created order and institutions/systems. This study found that it is within the power of church leaders in Nigeria to contribute more meaningfully towards ameliorating the condition of Nigerians than they have succeeded in doing thus far. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel Nigeriese kerkleiers deur middel van opleiding, gesondheidsdienste en ander sosiale dienste baie belangrike bydraes tot die Nigeriese gemeenskap gelewer het, het hulle ‟n minimale uitwerking op die politieke en die ekonomiese sektor gehad. Hierdie sektore is die hoofbron van beleidvorming, infrastruktuurontwikkeling, werkskepping, industrialisering, armoedevermindering en die bestryding van omgewingsgevare. Derhalwe poog hierdie studie, binne die gebied van die teologie en gemeenskapsontwikkeling, om te verduidelik hoe die kerk in Nigerië, deur middel van ontwikkelingsgerigte kerkleierskap, ‟n meer sinvolle bydrae kan lewer tot die sosiopolitieke en ekonomiese hervorming van die postmilitêre (demokratiese) Nigeriese gemeenskap, veral ten opsigte van die armoede, korrupsie en swak leierskap wat so algemeen in die land is. Daarbenewens probeer die studie ook vasstel wat die hoofkomponente van daardie sosialehervormingsagenda behoort te wees. In ‟n poging om te verstaan wat die oorsake van armoede, onderontwikkeling, korrupsie en swak leierskap in Nigerië is en deur middel waarvan hierdie faktore bestendig is, het die navorser toepaslike ontwikkelings-, sosiopolitieke en ekonomiese literatuur aangaande Nigerië en andere bestudeer. Daarbenewens is leierskapstendense van prekoloniale tye tot vandag ondersoek in sowel die globale as die Nigeriese konteks om vas te stel watter faktore tot die ontoereikende leierskap in Nigerië bygedra het en hoe die bestaande tendense omgekeer kan word. Die sosiale en teologiese diskoerse van kerkleiers in die Nigeriese konteks is bestudeer om te bepaal watter bydrae kerkleiers tot die Nigeriese gemeenskap gelewer het. ‟n Empiriese studie van die leiers van die Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) en die Lagos Presbyterian Church (LPC) (1999–2010) het die navorser in staat gestel om voorstelle te doen in verband met ‟n sinvoller bydrae deur kerkleiers, en ontdekkings uit die literatuurstudie is ook getoets. Op grond van die verspreiding van en besinning oor die empiriese studie word perspektiewe en voorstelle aan die hand gedoen in ‟n poging om kerkleiers te help om meer sinvol op te tree as katalisators in die sosiale hervorming van die Nigeriese gemeenskap. Die teoretiese raamwerke waarbinne hierdie studie gedoen is, sluit in Robert Osmer se metodologie van praktiese teologiese, missionêre teologie soos veronderstel in die missio Dei en die debat oor pragmatiese ekumeniese ontwikkeling.