RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SOCIAL-POLITICAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE PROPHETIC LITERATURE: A FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Righteousness by God’s standard has corresponding effects on socio-political and sustainable development in every sphere of human society, including the ancient Israelites and Nigerians. The call for righteousness and socio-political transformation in the prophetic literature expresses the inseparable knitting of life; religious, economic, social, and political arena as championed by the prophets could be related to the Sinaitic covenant. Some scholars have portrayed the prophets’ mainly function as God’s spokesperson, advisors, and revolutionists, upholders of theocracy and maintainers of the law, with themes of salvation, judgment and future hope. However, attention is yet to be made on seeing these prophets as agents of righteousness, social and political transformation which serves as foundation for sustainable development. The message of the ancient prophets could speak to the Nigerian socio-political context, with same expected effects and outcome. Therefore, this study conceptualizes the prophets; the divine conscience of the Israelite societies call for a transformation that would encompass the socio-political domain of the nation and restore God’s standard for right actions and its implications for sustainable development. This study adopts a historical and analytical method with a sociological approach using the framework of structural strain theory, which insists that deviation from socially acceptable norms could cause crises in all spheres of life. As it was in Israel, so it is for Nigeria. For the prophets, the ‘brotherhood’ consciousness of the society has become so stratified by the erosion of righteousness, chatting paths for exploitation and oppression in all ramifications of life and human activities. The study findings show that when righteousness and socio-political transformation is experienced in Nigeria, the nation’s economic situation will develop sustainably. Citizens will gain access to an adequate livelihood, productive and economic security will be for all and sundry, and meaningful development will take place in the nation. Hence, the call for transformation, that will engender true sustainable development and prosperity.