An Analysis of the Church as Civil Society in Nigeria

The church has been a critical stakeholder in the development of Nigeria right from the first interactions of Africa with the outside world. Nigeria and the rest of the continent owe its development in significant proportions to the education provided by the church among other social provisions. Since independence, the church has played strategic roles in the development of the Nigerian State and remains a crucial stakeholder in the turbulent political narrative of the country. The church was a principal actor in the struggle for the enthronement of democratic rule in the country This paper adopts the qualitative research method with reliance on secondary sources such as extant publications, records from Christian organisations, news articles and related documents. This paper notes that since Nigeria's return to democratic rule, the church has receded in its civil society capacity and has become rather reactionary at some other times. It notes further that the church became highly politicized and divided during the democratic era and has operated largely on the nature and character of the Nigeria state which is hinged on ethnicity and the North-South divide. The church is only visible at critical times such as during the electoral process and has not taken been too active in its position of leading adherents towards popular and critical engagement of the government. The study recommends that the church in Nigeria really needs to live above petty politics and assume its position within the civil society fray to become a critical voice of reason in the development of the Nigerian State.