Christians as Light and Salt: Implication for Good governance in Nigeria

Abstract

Generally, in Nigeria, the issue of good governance has had only marginal success and this has resulted in a lot of problems bedevilling Nigeria. Some scholars have written on good governance in Nigeria, but this has not been adequately linked to Jesus’ command to his followers to be Salt and Light (Matthew 5:13-16), especially in the context of Christian leadership. Therefore, this paper examines the implication of Christians being the “light and salt” for good governance in Nigeria. The paper employs a documentation method to collect data and textually analyses the data. Primary data is sourced from the Bible and secondary data is sourced from published works on governance in Nigeria. Christians can institutionalize a difference by applying biblical teachings in their lifestyle and actions. Hence, it’s suggested and recommended that the old idea of politics been “dirty” must be jettisoned by Christians. Finally, Christians are called on to join politics from the grassroots or ward level, while working in collaboration with other religious organizations to harness ideas to foster good governance in Nigeria.