RELIGION AND ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATIONS IN NIGERIA: THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH

Abstract

In ages past religion was and at present it is still a veritable instrument for economic diversity. The activities of Jesus Christ and that of pioneer missionaries to Africa are living evidences to this fact. They came not only with the gospel but also with some sweet pills such as education, science and technology,  primary health-care,  agriculture, entrepreneurship and politics But today, these diversifications are being down played upon because of oil wealth hence the present economic recession in Nigeria and the need to diversify .The study aims at examining these silent qualities that early Christian missionaries adopted that made the Nigerian economy export oriented and a very viable one then, and to proffer a solution. The work adopted qualitative descriptive method in analyzing data drawn from library and internet materials. The study found out among others that the expertise of religious leaders was not adequately explored in the matters of economic planning in Nigeria. It is the contention of the researchers that when the clerics are fully integrated in the planning processes that the economy will be better.