This thesis examines the Anglican Church in Northern Nigeria under the episcopacy of Bishop Titus Eyiolorunsefunmi Ogbonyomi from 1976 to 1996. Northern Nigeria is a predominantly Muslim area, with Christians and those involved in traditional worship constituting the remaining of the population. Bishop Ogbonyomi through his charges pointed out that Christians in Northern Nigeria have long complained of discrimination and religious violence. Furthermore, he noted that the economy of the country, corruption, secret societies, creation of dioceses out of the diocese of Northern Nigeria, education, ethnicity in the political life of Nigerians and the issues of women ordination and polygamy were also issues that had effected the Christians in Northern Nigeria negatively. Bishop Ogbonyomi was not happy with the situation the Christians in that part of the country were passing through. During his episcopacy, he saw corruption, religious violence, poverty among the other issues mentioned above as a disgraceful situation the country found itself. He used much space in his charges to speak against those that were the perpetrators of such behaviours. The statistics of the content of the charges show that among the issues he discussed, economic issue was reflected in all his twenty-one charges, except that of 1995, thus making it the bishop's first and most consistent priority during his episcopacy. Though the issue of Islam has the highest space-percentage according to the statistics, it did not appear in the charges as often as the issue of the economy. Again, though the economic issue was his first priority, the statistics show that the amount of space devoted to it in the charges is quite low in some years. This indicated when the bishop had an increased or decreased interest in the topic, and when his focus was shifted to other issues. On the issue of secret societies, though the bishop indicated that these societies were already in existence during his episcopacy and that their effects on Nigerians were destructive, did not give a clear explanation of what such societies mean in Nigeria. The thesis is of the opinion that the very fact that secret societies are so difficult to define and VI thus deal with, highlights the need for a deeper investigation than that provided by Bishop Ogbonyomi. In addition, the bishop's attitude toward the issues of women ordination and polygamy in the Anglican Church in Nigeria indicated the topic to be of the least interest to the bishop. It appeared only in three of his charges (1989, 1994 and 1995) and, whenever it appeared, it did so with less concentration than other topics. The position of the bishop on women ordination was not very clear, though he referred to the non-inclusion of a woman among Jesus' apostles as a reason to approve the omission of women from ordination in the church. However, he was very negative about polygamy in the church. In conclusion the researcher argues that for a peaceful and successful society to be achieved in the area of study, a normative framework based on the concept of social justice needs to be developed, which should form the basis for evaluating the legacies of protracted injustice, and acts of social and moral indiscipline that were rampant in the area. VB thus deal with, highlights the need for a deeper investigation than that provided by Bishop Ogbonyomi. In addition, the bishop's attitude toward the issues of women ordination and polygamy in the Anglican Church in Nigeria indicated the topic to be of the least interest to the bishop. It appeared only in three of his charges (1989, 1994 and 1995) and, whenever it appeared, it did so with less concentration than other topics. The position of the bishop on women ordination was not very clear, though he referred to the non-inclusion of a woman among Jesus' apostles as a reason to approve the omission of women from ordination in the church. However, he was very negative about polygamy in the church. In conclusion the researcher argues that for a peaceful and successful society to be achieved in the area of study, a normative framework based on the concept of social justice needs to be developed, which should form the basis for evaluating the legacies of protracted injustice, and acts of social and moral indiscipline that were rampant in the area. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

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.

The thesis explored the story of the healing of the ten lepers by Jesus in Luke 17:11-19 for its potential to facilitate a conversation between the Jesus context and the Yoruba context, to bring about a new praxis in the attitude of Yoruba Christian to people living with HIV and AIDS. In view of the fact that the context is a major determinant in the interpretations that ecumenical theologians make with the Bible, it calls on the interpreter to re-read the text in the culture of the people. And in a bid for African biblical scholarship to locate itself within the social, political and ecclesiastical context of Africa in the age of globalization and the scourge of HIV and AIDS crisis, a contextual reading of Jesus’ attitude and compassionate response to the wish of the ten lepers as presented in Luke for healing and restoration is not only desirable in this research but an opportunity to reflect on the contribution of contextual exposition of the miracle story to the contemporary attitude of Christians in an HIV and AIDS era. HIV and AIDS is a disease which not only plunders human bodies but also invades the attitude and behaviour of societies generating a kind of social pathology. Hence the definition of social phenomena is culturally determined and therefore the explanation and the attitudes of health and illness is a function of culture. As a result this has great implications for the attitude and behaviour of people towards sick people especially people living with HIV and AIDS in this era. Drawing insights from the model of the body as social map by Mary Douglas in which the concern and fight around social boundaries are linked with purity rules and taboo; and the labeling/deviancy theory of Becker, this research reads the Gospel of Luke with a social-scientific lens selected texts in Luke’s Gospel depicting the attitude of Jesus to outcasts (lepers). It also raises the question, whether being a Christian, having the Bible as a resource in the Yoruba context does or can make a difference to the way Yoruba people respond to sick people in an HIV and AIDS era. The empirical study was carried out in the Yoruba community of Ijebu Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria employed research methods which include the Tripolar exegetical method, an ethnographic study through focus group discussions, non-participatory observation and the contextual Bible study method. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

This thesis seeks to outline the HIV epidemic in Nigeria and understand the response of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) to the epidemic. In evaluating the Church of Nigeria's policy document, it also seeks to understand how the response needs to be strengthened. The thesis looks at the history of HIV and AIDS in Nigeria and the impact of the epidemic on the Nigerian society. It further identifies some of the factors that contribute to the spread of HIV in Nigeria and the government's response to the epidemic. For the Church to respond appropriately to the epidemic there is a great need to start by theologizing the epidemic in a more helpful way. It is based on this that this thesis further attempts to theologize the epidemic by discussing sexuality, the notion of imago dei and shalom as well-being. The thesis examines the six thematic areas of the policy document and presents a critical analysis in which it discovers that though there are good things in the policy document, it however, needed a more solid theological foundation and employment of an educative tool that is more inclusive. Central to the argument of the thesis is that no one factor drives the epidemic, but rather a complex interaction between several factors. Therefore, to strengthen the policy document the thesis suggests a number of things to do which include a more solid theological foundation and employing of the 'SAVE' approach as an educative tool in response to the epidemic. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.