A REFLECTION ON CHRISTIAN ETHICS AND WEALTH ACQUISITION IN DEMOCRATIC NIGERIA

Abstract

The Penchant for Financial and other related crimes by a broad spectrum of Nigerian society, as exposed by the various anti-graft efforts of the successive governments since the inception of the current democratic governance in 1999, instead of abating, seems to be increasing. The reason for this ugly development is not farfetched. Factors such as poverty, mediocrity, insecurity, injustice and sheer greed, among others, have been pointed to be at the heart of the lack of success in ensuring reduced crime rates in financial and economic matters in contemporary Nigeria despite institutionalised fight against the abnormality. This development, in effect, has undermined the overall development of society. This paper offers some insights into the Christian’s standard of acquiring wealth and its theology, which, if harnessed, could strengthen the societal value on wealth, thereby significantly reducing economic and financial crimes. The paper adopts historical, philosophical, and theological approaches. The paper concludes by recommending deductions from the theology of wealth as inherently possessing solutions to most of today’s economic and financial crimes, thus fostering a financial-crime reduced society.