Biblical Concept of Integrity as a Resource for Christian Political Leaders and Public Office Holders in Nigeria

Abstract

Integrity, a rare commodity in Nigeria’s leadership landscape, is considered the quintessence and application of character and an integral part of leadership on many levels. Scholars have discussed integrity and Nigeria’s political leadership without linking it to Daniel’s exemplary leadership in Babylon. So, there is still the need to interrogate the concept of integrity as it relates to leadership in Nigeria’s political and public space, especially for Christian leaders. The paper intends to highlight God’s expectations for political leaders and public office holders in Nigeria, who are Christians, with particular reference to Daniel as a political administrator cum public office holder in Babylon. The paper employs a documentation method for data gathering. Primary data is sourced from the Bible, while secondary data is sourced from published works on integrity and political leadership in Nigeria. Data will be content analysed within the ambit of the behavioural theory of leadership. Daniel’s character was the basis for his actions. He defined his core values as being biblical- normed, communicated those values in private and public, and aligned his daily living with those biblically normed values. Therefore, the paper makes recommendations for Christianityinclined political leaders and public office holders in Nigeria.