CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

When children are brought into the world, they are normally taken care of by their

parents. This care is not only in the provision of physical, emotional, social, mental and

spiritual needs, it also involves inculcating in the child, the norms, values, ethos, cultural

and religious practices of his/her social milieu. It is through these means that the ways of

life of the community and society are transmitted to generations of offspring (Afolabi

45). In Nigeria, parents provide intensive care of infants, feed them on demand, give

immediate response to crying, have close body contact, and encourage care by siblings

and other family relatives. The latter serves to foster the cultural and religious values of

interdependence of family members (Nwoke 1248).

The youths are young people between the ages of 13 and 30, although some older people

may still be young at heart. Among these people are the teenagers and young adults who

may still be carrying over the characteristics of adolescence the period of storm and

stress, the period when the sleeping lion awakes as explained by Freud, (the psychic

energy having moved to the genital organs in the form of sexual excitation). The youths

are vibrant, energetic, inquisitive, adventurous, gregarious, risk takers and identity

seekers; all these make them to be sometime restive.

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Today’s youths live mostly in a culture saturated with corruption, immodesty and

violence. The examples of adult leadership, both at home and in the Church, set before

the youths today is, in many cases, a deterrent to producing the kind of men and women

God want our children to be. When parents, pastors, and teachers send conflicting

messages of verbal honesty and dishonest examples, they produce a generation of youths

with no clearly defined sense of values. Many young people have seen such unclear

values in the lives of their parents and pastors that they have no clear standards of what

is right and wrong (Oderinde 54). Restiveness as a noun means the same thing as being

restless, which is an adjective which describes being unwilling or unable to stay still or

to be quit and calm, because you are worried or bored. Youth restiveness therefore as the

name implies, a combination of actions, conduct or acts that constitute unwholesome

socially unacceptable activities engaged by youth in Lagos Mainland Local Government

which is also affecting the Diocese of Lagos Mainland.

Youth restiveness is a despicable act being perpetrated by a significant proportion of our

youths in our communities. It is a sustained protestation embarked upon to enforce

desired outcome from a constituted authority by an organized body of youths. Often

these protests are marked by violence and disruption of lawful activities since most

times it is hijacked by miscreants and hooligans. Youth restiveness no doubt is a

phenomenon which in practice leads to break down of law and order, economic

misfortune due to disruption of economic activities, increased crime rate, intra-ethnic

hostilities, harassment of prospective developers and other sundry criminal tendencies.

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The youth have a big role in the Lagos Mainland Diocese which can only be possible

through adults demonstrating to them that a discipleship and love culture is embraced in

the Church (Day and Kurtz 1). In some of our Parishes, the youth have been deprived of

proper assets for development from the church, parents and school to help them grow

and spread the gospel. Such assets will assist in preventing the youths from premarital

sexual behavior, drug abuse, restiveness and anti-social behavior which are rated high

risk behaviors. This way, the level of responsibility and pro-social behaviors among the

youths will be encouraged and spread by youths to their fellows in the church hence

promoting living standards that are healthy and spiritually effective to yield successful

and responsible adult society. To boost these efforts, the church must incorporate

contemporary stratagems to the youth ministry in establishing the growth of youths. The

elders have a role to be flexible and adjust to the ever changing needs of youths through

updating and matching the youth energy and vitality while avoiding old models. The

youth must therefore in the long-run not to dilute the gospel message but discover how

to live out the good news and encourage others to do so (Nielson 2).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Youths in contemporary Nigeria face daunting problems that often hinder their

contribution to Church and nation building (Onibokun 139), these are presumed to be as

a result of catalogue of closely related factors. Some of the presumed factors include

poverty, corrupt leaders, unemployment, lack of vocational training and skills, peer

group influences, lack of basic amenities, pollution of the environment, continuing

spread of exploitation and oppression of women and young people, which is rooted in

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sexism, racism and class domination; and lack of humanitarian and societal welfare

(Tambawal and Sa’idu 6). Since the 1970s, the nation itself had witnessed crises in

every aspect of life: education, health, social and political development. Because bad

leadership, corruption, political instability and poor economic management have been

the bane of the society – this has created a lack of direction for the youth. Everywhere,

there is an insatiable lust to get rich quickly using unscrupulous means including fraud,

cheating, pen and armed robbery. And the media is replete with ideas which are contrary

to the norms expected in a moral society with their constant promotion of sexual

immorality through slay queen, side chick, prostitution and pornography and hard drugs

(Duke 12), by heightened emphasis on quick ways of making wealth in millions and

billions at the neglect of hard labour, dedication to duty and integrity (Danfulani and

Atowoju xiii).

Almost uniquely alone, among nations that have been blessed with nature’s beautiful

diversities, Nigeria has failed to convert her rich resources and its ethnic and cultural

diversities into a source of national strength and prosperity (Sagay 278). To make

matters worse, the nation has become militarized and divided and so a clear national

cause with which the youth could identify has become absent. This is why Chinua

Achebe notes in 1982 that since the youths have no present, they also have no future, his

prediction sadly came to pass (Achebe 17). Thus, any society or culture that allows a

good percentage of her youths to be misdirected or neglected, risks her future’s cultural

viability, potentiality and survival (Akinde 164).

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It is now a common scene in Lagos to witness gang terrorism and vandalisation of

properties particularly by the group of youngsters labeled as “Area boys” in urban

centres. Senior Secondary School students in many of the secondary schools in Lagos

State usually constitute themselves into terrorist group against school authority towards

the end of their stay in school (Omoegun 42). Therefore, youth restiveness phenomenon

in recent years in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area has paralyzed the social,

religious, economic and political activities. It is against these background problems this

study investigated the causes and effects of youth restiveness in the Diocese of Lagos

Mainland.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The specific objectives of this research are:

i. To know what the concept of youth and its restiveness really means

ii. To investigate the theological perspective of the concept of youth with examples

iii. To re-evaluates the historical background of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland

iv. To examine the causes and effects of youth restiveness in this 21st Century

Christendom

v. To investigate the challenges facing 21st Century youth

vi. To suggest solutions to the problems of youth restiveness in this 21st Century

vii. To educate the Christian youth on the appropriate Christian ethics to be followed

in the society.

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1.4 Scope of the Study

This research cannot cover all the Parishes in the Diocese of Lagos Mainland, but it will

concentrate on two Archdeaconry headquarters, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Mushin

(Mushin Archdeaconry Headquarter) and Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial Church,

Surulere (Surulere Archdeaconry Headquarter). Also, the area of youth study is a broad

area that cannot be exhausted in this research work. For this reason, the research focused

on and limited to youth restiveness in the Diocese of Lagos Mainland and its environs.

Moreover, the study would only appraise the causes, the ethical issues and implications

of youth restiveness as it affects the Diocese of Lagos Mainland and the state with a

minimal or no reference to other religions. It also states the possible solutions to the

problem facing 21st youth and youth restiveness in Nigeria.

1.5 Significance of the Study

This research is also very significant because youths are the future of every organization

especially the Church. It will assist theological students, clergy, laity and the society at

large with adequate information that can readily be used in confronting all sorts of ugly

behavioral issues among the youth in the Church and society. Many, if not all Church

denominations in Nigeria have been affected by the change in the lifestyles of their

youths. The researcher aims at digging the root cause, the implication and the

appropriate way of solving youth restiveness in the Diocese of Lagos Mainland so that

organizations, parents and youth will benefit from the research findings. This work will

be a good foundation and resourceful for all who intend to carry out further research on

this topic or related topics in the future.

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1.6 Research Methodology

This study adopted theoretical, theological, historical, phenomenological and

sociological approaches. The theoretical approach uses the contributions of some written

records, internet information, academic researches (project, dissertation and thesis),

library materials (textbooks, journals, articles and unpublished manuscripts). The

theological approach uses exegetical and hermeneutical apparatus in studying Godly and

restive youths in the Bible while historical approach was used to trace the emergence,

growth and development of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and the

Lagos Mainland Diocese. The phenomenological approach was used to investigate some

basic phenomena of youth restiveness in term of indecent dressing, yahoo plus and

cultism etc. The sociological approach was used to generate qualitative data for this

study. The data generated were subjected to descriptive analysis of the causes, ethical

issues, its implications and possible solution to youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland

Diocese. In addition, three hundred and fifty (350) copies of questionnaire were

distributed in two Archdeaconry Headquarters namely: Bishop Adelakun Howells

Memorial Church, Surulere, Lagos and Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Mushin, Lagos

with the sampling population of three thousand (3,000) worshippers.

1.7 Definitions of Terms

It is expedient to define some salient key terms that are essential in this research:

1. Youth: The term ‘youth’ means someone who is young. It is especially the phase

“before a child becomes an adult.” This may mean a period between age fifteen

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 (13) and twenty-five (25) years (Summer 1920). It is the time of life marked by

growth and development (Gove 1038). The numerical ages associated with

Biblical youth are unclear. But throughout the Bible, youth is a period of vigor,

opportunity, and prophetic receptiveness to God’s call, although sometimes

marked with evil desires (Dean 948).

2. Restiveness: Restive means restless, nervous, uneasy, mulish, stubborn,

recalcitrant, impatient, and unwilling to accept control or authority (Robinson and

Davidson 1191, Webster’s Universal Dictionary & Thesaurus 656).

3. Diocese: A diocese is a territorial area or unit of administration in the Church of

Nigeria (Anglican Communion). It is administrative machinery usually divided

into parishes, which are frequently grouped into districts and archdeaconries by a

bishop (Cross and Livingstone, 81). All provinces of the Anglican Communion

consist of dioceses, each under the jurisdiction of a bishop. In the Anglican

tradition, bishops must be consecrated according to the strictures of apostolic

succession, which Anglicans consider one of the marks of catholicity (Ezeakunne

102). Therefore, the diocese is committed to the charge of the Bishop for pastoral

care, with the cooperation of the clergy, in such a way that they remain close to the

Bishop as the head (Iluno 148).

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 The Concept of Youth

Kehily observes that the concept of youth varies from culture to culture and from society

to society and it could be seen as difficult to define, as it covers such a diverse area (3).

In fact, Dreyfus uses the terms students, youth and young people exchangeably to refer

to “those persons between the ages of sixteen to twenty-five who are actively involved

in world and are concerned with effecting change in their lives and in the world around

them (2). Jones suggests that “youth is just a word” and that it “has been an evolving

concept” which has developed over the century’s into a social construction (2). The

definitions of ‘youth’ in Western societies usually refer to the life stage between

childhood and adulthood, the transitional period between being dependent and becoming

independent. In contemporary times however, the transition from childhood to adulthood

is increasingly protracted, commonly lasting much longer than adolescence or the

“growing up” years (Kehily 3).

Konopka says that the English terms youth, adolescent, teenager, kid, and young person

are interchanged, often meaning the same thing, but they are occasionally differentiated

(Konopka 316). To Sayyid, the word “youth” can be use for people of both sexes, male

and female, of a young age (7). Altschuler refers to youth as the time of life when one is

young. This involves childhood, and the time of life which is neither childhood nor

adulthood, but rather somewhere in between. It also identifies a particular mindset of

9
attitude, as in “He is very youthful.” For certain uses, such as employment statistics, the

term also sometimes refers to individuals from the ages of 14 to 21.

However, Furlong asserts that the term adolescence and youth refers to a specific age

range during a specific developmental period in a person’s life, unlike youth which is a

socially constructed category. It is also defined as “the appearance, freshness, vigor,

spirit, etc. characteristic of one who is young.” Its definitions of a specific age range

varies, as youth is not defined chronologically as a stage that can be tied to specific age

ranges; nor can its end point be linked to specific activities, such as taking unpaid work

or having sexual relations without consent. It is an experience that may shape an

individual’s level of dependency, which can be marked in various ways according to

different cultural perspectives. Personal experience is marked by an individual’s cultural

norms or traditions, while a youth’s level of dependency means the extent to which he

still relies on his family emotionally, religiously and economically (2 – 3).

Ikelegbe looks at the concept of youth from Africa perspective that young people

constitute the majority of the population and are at the center of societal interactions and

transformations. Yet children and youth are often placed at the margins of the public

domain and major political, socio-economic, and cultural processes. In other words,

“youth ordinarily is a category of early adulthood, emerging in activity and involvement

in society but somewhat limited by societal values and some levels of dependency and

perhaps agency.” As a demographic and social category, the youth is characterized by

considerable tensions and conflicts generated by the process of social and physical

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maturation and in the adjustment to societal realities. Briefly put, youths are engaged in

a struggle for survival, identity and inclusion, a struggle that shapes how they,

As a social group respond to or more broadly relate to state

and society in terms of engagement or disengagement,
incorporation or alienation, rapprochement or resistance,
integration or deviance, (Ikelegbe 87 – 122).

DeBoeck elucidates that youths are makers of society, as they contribute to the

structures, norms, rituals, and directions of society while also being shaped by them

(DeBoeck 177 – 209). They make themselves, through inventive forms of self-

realization and an ingenious politics of identity, and they make society by acting as a

political force, as sources of resistance and resilience, and as ritual or even supernatural

agents and generators of morality and healing through masquerade and play (Argenti

753 – 781). On the other hand, they appear as ‘breakers’ in various ways: as risk factors

for themselves through suicide, drug use, alcohol, and unsafe sex; by breaking societal

norms, conventions, and rules; sometimes by breaking limbs and lives; and sometimes

by breaking the chains of oppression, as the role of young people in fighting South

African apartheid so powerfully illustrated. Youth is therefore a tension-filled, highly

unstable category whose management is of crucial importance for societal stability and

development as it is a zone of restlessness, anxiety and chaos for the youth and society.

Youths occupy a prominent place in any Yoruba society especially in Lagos state. They

are one of the greatest assets any nation can have. Apart from being the leaders of

tomorrow, they out-number the middle-aged and the aged (Onyeke 76). The National

Youth Development Policy asserts that the youth are the foundation of a society; their

energies, inventiveness, character and orientation define the pattern of development and

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security of a nation. Through their creative talents and labour power, a nation makes

giant strides. The youth are a particular segment of the national population that is

sensitive, energetic, and active and the most productive phase of life as citizens. The

youth are also most volatile and yet the most vulnerable segment of the population in

terms of social-economic, emotion and other aspects (Anasi 7).

The National Youth Development Policy defines youth as people aged between 18 and

35. They constitute about 40 percent of the more than 140 million people of Nigeria.

The Nigeria’s unemployment rate is projected at over 11 percent compared to the

average rate of 9.5 percent in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the National Bureau of

Statistics (NBS 12), young people aged between 15 and 24 years account for 52.9

percent of unemployed people while those aged between 25 and 44 years accounted for

41.1 percent. Therefore, those in age bracket of 15 and 44 years account for 94 percent

of the total unemployed persons in Nigeria (Osibanjo 2).

To economist as observes by Adeyemo, “a youth is a person who is still in his

productive years.” However, for our purpose, a youth can be defined as a person who is

still in his/her formative years, undergoing character modeling, personality development

and sometimes receiving training that has to do with human capital development. As we

further observed, he is therefore influenced for good or bad, by whatever transpires in

and around his environment since he/she learns through observation and experience.

Youth is the only time to think and decide on a great course. But it is dreary to have to

alter one’s whole life in age, the time past and the strength gone. A young man…

determined and willing will find a way or make one (Adeyemo 57).

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Although linked to biological processes of development and aging, youth is also defined

as a social position that reflects the meanings different cultures and societies give to

individuals between childhood and adulthood. The term in itself when referred to in a

manner of social position, can be ambiguous when applied to someone of an older age

with very low social position; potentially when still dependent on their guardians

(Furlong 5). Scholars argue that age-based definitions have not been consistent across

cultures or times and that thus it is more accurate to focus on social processes in the

transition to adult independence for defining youth (Tyyska 3). Youth is the stage of

constructing the self-concept. The self-concept of youth is influenced by variables such

as peers, lifestyle, gender, and culture. It is a time of a person’s life when their choices

are most likely to affect their future (Wing 4).

Eron documents that by age eight, boys’ patterns of aggressive behavior and attitude are

already crystallizing, so much so that without intervention, such patterns tend to

continue into adulthood. When Eron and his colleagues began studies on this in the

1960s, some eight years old were asked to identify the aggressive children in their

classrooms. They began by asking “Who are the children in your class who hit people,

who start fights, who kick people?” when they followed up on these children three

decades later, they found that, by and large, the children who had been identified as

aggressive at age eight became adults who at age thirty-eight hit family members, got

into fights in the community, and drove their cars aggressively (Eron 66). Obviously,

there is a high probability that these children had no positive behavioral intervention or

caution in their formative years, hence their aggressive persisted unrestrained into

adulthood (Danfulani and Atowoju 7).

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The environment in which young people grow up, in spite of the unprecedented

advantages and opportunities open to them, have a lot of influence on them (Welton 5).

Depending on the circumstances, positive reinforcement can strengthen either desirable

or undesirable behaviours. For instance, children may work hard at home or at school

because of the praise they receive from parents and teachers for good performance.

However, they may also disrupt a class, try dangerous stunts, or start smoking because

these behaviours lead to attention and approval from their peers (Danfulani and Atowoju

34). One of the commonest reinforcers of human behavior is money. Most youth and

adults spend many hours each week working at their jobs because of the paychecks they

receive in return. For certain individuals, money can also reinforce undesirable

behaviors, such as burglary, selling illegal drugs, and cheating on one’s taxes.

Many studies of delinquency and restiveness have clearly demonstrated that peers are

the single most powerful predictor of delinquency (Agnew 42). For example, Agnew

tests the influence of attachment to peers, time spent with peers, and the extent of

friends’ delinquency on delinquent behavior. He analyzed interview data collected in

1979 (Elliot 5) and found that all three peer factors strongly predicted delinquency.

McBride and his colleagues’ tests a model predicting drug and alcohol use among a

sample of 175 Hispanic youth who participated in a drug abuse prevention program

(Mcbride 315). Peer pressure was a significant contributor to alcohol use among young

men, but not among young women. Male teens that had a strong need to be liked by

their friends more often joined them in drinking than those with a lower need for

acceptance. In addition, McBride and his associates found that peer example was a

significant contributor to delinquency. Other research has confirmed that watching

14
friends participate in delinquent activities, even in the absence of overt pressure,

significantly predicts youths’ delinquent behavior. Akers reviews the major studies of

delinquency and concluded that “the best single predictor of the onset, continuance, or

desistance of delinquency is differential association with lawviolating or norm-violating

peers” (Akers 164).

According to Onyeahialam, there are varied approaches to the concept of youth; some of

these approaches are (15-20):

1. The Developmental Approach: This approach holds two different views.

Firstly, early of stages of life which is a period of development before an

individual attains adulthood. The second view is the period between the two

extremities of life – that is between infancy and old age. Between these two

extremities of life comes the time of youth. In other words it is a stage of

development between childhood and adulthood, a time of life stretching from

puberty to the acceptance of the responsibilities of marriage and family life.

2. The Cultural Approach: In some cultures, when one is not yet married he or

she is seen as a youth and should belong to a youth group. He/she should not be

involved in adult discussions. Such a person no matter how elderly he/she tends

to be cannot be given adult role to play or an adult honour like Chieftaincy title,

‘Mazi,’ ‘Baale’ (in Igbo and Yoruba communities). In other cultures, when one

has not performed the ceremonial rite of passage, he/she cannot be accepted as

an adult. In such culture, so many factors can deprive a person from performing

15
 the ceremonial rite of passage to be accepted as an adult, these includes finance,

availability or nearness to home, support by relatives and friend etc.

In response to the question “what is the young generation like?” Roland and Leys

explains that,

They are a generation of unbounding energy, a generation

with high powered creativity, a generation characterized by
existential questions, a generation with immense potential,
the largest generation world-wide. They will influence our
world in a decisive way and lead our Churches, (Roland &
Leys 25).

Also, Fape affirms that the youth are the vibrant stratum of the Church (Fape 24). This

means that they are energetic, resourceful, lovers of activities and willing hands that are

often found in different departments in the Church when rightly motivated (Adejuyigbe

16). Mbeng states that youth are copy-cats and as such they try to model great men and

women, so having a discipler close to him or her he will model the discipler and not the

super star because once a youth is disciple and he now has the right values and

perspectives he fits into the society with all its problems and still comes out successfully

(Mbeng 137).

If adequate attention is given to the proper upbringing, formation, empowerment,

human-resources development and training of the youth in a desirable direction, and

conducive environment especially if done at an early stage, it is expected that this will

bring about a lasting positive impact on their lives; ethical values, thinking pattern,

ideology, orientation and general outlook on life. The modus operandi guiding their day

to day activities will take its root on these principles, becoming their guide even in

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adulthood. Nevertheless, training becomes more meaningful when the environment of

training provides credence to what is being taught. Only then can a positive response to

training be induced and actualized in the trained (Danfulani and Atowoju 6).

2.2 The Conceptual Framework on Youth Restiveness

In any case, the word ‘youth’ describes a person who has not attained the status of an

adult but no longer has a child, while restive suggested when one is unable to be still or

quiet, difficult to control, especially when not satisfied with something (Okwum 3).

Since youth have natural endowment of raw energy which results to bubbling in spirit,

having high hopes, big dreams, aspirations and ideas of what the future owes them, they

are not naturally calm often but become anxious and anticipate to know what present

situation has to offer in order to fast track the future. Thus, a little disappointment or

even misconception on their part, in relation to the fulfillment of aspiration, usually

triggers the standby propensity for violence and more often than not turns to restiveness.

Restiveness can be viewed as a combination of actions, conduct and behaviour which

constitute unwholesome and socially unacceptable response to situations by youths in

the society (Peter 2). Such actions could be in form of sustained protestations embarked

upon to enforce a desired outcome on a constituted authority by an organized body of

youths (Elegbeleye 83). Youth restiveness has become a device used by young persons

to obtain what they want from relevant authority; the act is usually perpetrated in

unlawful manners. It is a deliberate instrument of organized response to perceived

grievances that have an increasing potency and capacity for destruction (Babayeju 12).

17
Ukwueze describes restiveness as a function of one’s emotional and temperamental

reactions to events or situations, due to wrong cognitive perception, appraisal and

interpretation of such events with resultant state of nervousness, restlessness, uneasiness,

obstinacy and uncontrollable behaviour. Thus, restiveness encompasses all forms of

youth activism that pose or have the tendency of posing threat to the orderliness, life and

property because it is marked by violence and disruption of lawful activities (Ukwueze 1

– 2).

Angaye is of the views that youths take to crime and restiveness as the last resort after

seeing corrupt politicians looting the nation’s wealth with impunity. Youths graduate

and stay at home as much as five, six or even several years without jobs. Therefore, he

sees criminality as the only way to break the vicious circle of poverty in their families

(Angaye 40 – 54). Anyanwu asserts that since youths are the leaders of tomorrow, then

the prevailing high cost of living and corruption in the country, justifies their restiveness

(Anyanwu 143).

In Nigeria, youth restiveness is not a new phenomenon and it cuts across different parts

of the country with its dooms in varying degrees. According to Elegbeleye, youth

resistance to conditions, issues and unwelcomed leadership regimes in Nigeria dates

back to 1934 when Herbert Macaulay floated a political party to kick against

dependency with fellow elite youths that had contact with the West. Equally in the close

of 1950s and early to mid 1960s political parties such as the National Council for

Nigerian Citizens (NCNC), the Northern People’s Congress (NPC), and the Action

Group (AG) involved the youth in perpetrating coordinated political protests and

18
unrests. The phenomenon has metamorphosed to the use of youths in different protests

and counter-protests across Nigeria.

In the South-West, the youth constitutes larger proportion of the Odua People’s

Congress (OPC), an ethnic militia group; the fierce Movement for the Actualization of

the Sovereignty State of Biafra (MASSOB), Movement for the Emancipation of the

Niger Delta (MEND), and the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) in

the East as well as South – South regions (97). The World renowned insurgent group,

Boko Haram in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria also has vast members, majority of

who are youths (Esere, et al 126 – 132). In addition, the proliferation of youth

association such as students’ union and other legal groups and the existence of illegal

associations such as cults have turned learning institutions to danger haven where

murder, looting, arson and violation of human rights are perpetrated through youth

restiveness.

A number of reasons have been identified as being the causes of youth restiveness.

Anasi identifies the following reasons as being responsible for youth restiveness: bad

governance: inadequate educational opportunities and resources; unemployment;

poverty, lack of basic infrastructures; and inadequate communication flow. Chukuezi

posits that marginalization, unemployment, exuberance and the involvement of youths in

political thuggery are the major causes of youth restiveness (Chukuezi 46 – 52).

Also, an Ogoni elder according to Shaibu as quoted by Enueme and Onyene attributes

youth restiveness to lack of access to quality education due to collapse of facilities

resulting from neglect and activities of multinational oil corporations (Enueme and

19
Onyene 116). This neglect made Ofeghe to say that the restiveness has been expressed’

in the forms of bombing of oil installations and kidnapping of foreign workers. Another

form of youth restiveness is cultism. Stown states that economic conditions in the area

make cults intriguing for students who want security against enemies and substance.

Ofeghe opines that youth restiveness in Lagos is as a result of unemployment and

sufferings among the youths of the area which has metamorphosed into various acts of

restiveness (Ofeghe).

Elegbeleye levels the causes on youths themselves by stating that the jingoistic pursuit

of patriotic ideas, the peer motivated excitement of being a youth and the perceived

victimization arising from economic exploitations are the incessant factors propelling

youths to restiveness (Elegbeleye 97). First it has produced what Adetipe describes as

depreciation of the value o the society by young ladies’ prostitution. It is common sight

on the streets of our cities especially in a place called Oju Irin, Oyingbo, Lagos

Mainland and in hotels premises nowadays, young ladies many of whom are graduates

of tertiary institutions, at night indecently dressed flocking around to secure attention of

prospective customers. They now see prostitution as a display of entrepreneurial skill

and a way out of the pressure being put on them by the society. It is not uncommon to

see some female youths in cabaret posing nude. They trade off their treasured virtues for

some wad of currency notes. Due to the high level of competition among themselves,

they now dress indecently exposing their cleavages even their private parts to attract the

attention of their customers. They see nothing wrong in sleeping around to secure jobs

(Adetipe 80).

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It must be noted that while media usage is an integral part of the daily living of the

youths, there are a number of risks, challenges and problems associated with the use of

social media, specifically, negative effects on their moral, religious, academicals and

mental health, cyber-bullying, texting, dangers of sexual solicitation, and exposure to

problematic and illegal content and privacy violations. The problems that Youths face

online are similar to those faced offline. However, the risk profile for the use of various

types of social media depends on the type of risk, a teen’s use of the media, and the

psychological makeup of the youth using them. It is important to critically assert that

most youths are often at risk by engaging in risky behaviors offline and are facing

difficulties in their developmental stage of life. Youth restiveness through the addiction

to the social media in Nigeria has been a prominent issue in recent times. There has been

an increasing occurrences of violence, lawlessness, including things like hostage-taking

of prominent citizens and expatriate oil workers, as well as oil bunkering, arms

insurgence, cultism, etc., which is affecting the physical, moral and spiritual growth of

this generational youths. In the common sense, the major purpose of identifying the

causes of a problem is to proffer solutions.

Idowu opines that counselling is the best-belt for addressing problem that counselling is

the best-belt for addressing problems confronting the youths before such escalate to

unrest. This is because counselling can bridge the gap of communication between the

youths and relevant authorities (Idowu 3). Adegoke recommends some solutions that can

be applied to address youth restiveness and they include that: families must take time to

reengage the youth within the home; parents need to spend quality time with them;

educational institutions should ensure that the school is a place of trusted relationship;

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government at all levels should provide care and protection for all the young people; and

that youths should acquire assertive skills (Adegoke 20).

Finally, it can be seen from the literature review that different scholars have focused on

youth restiveness from religious, political, moral, economical, psychological and

cultural perspectives. There are also works that examined gender perspective to youth

restiveness. Thus, there has not been any known scholarly work that examine the ethical

issues in youth restiveness and its implication in Lagos Mainland Diocese; hence this

study.

2.3 The Theological Analysis of Youth Lifestyle

It is no secret that the future of the Church lies in young people and that future will

depend on our capacity to bring these young people closer to Jesus Christ. For those who

are no longer so young, this entails making an effort to communicate a thousand year old

experience of salvation in a way that makes sense for the youth of today. It is for this

reason that this research intend to reflect in this section on the biblical perspective on

youth lifestyle (Beytia 1). Youth was also expected to be the time of intense enjoyment

of life’s pleasures (Ecc 11: 9), and of intense devotion (Jer. 2: 2; Eze 16: 43). According

to Ayo, the areas of similarities between the Church and the youth are (Fatubarin 1):

1. The Church and the youth are specially ordained by God for the benefit of

humanity.

2. The Church is ordained by God for the spiritual benefits of mankind, while the

youth is ordained for the productive benefits of mankind.

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3. The church is a vital spiritual link between God and humanity, while the youth is

a link between the children and the old among human beings.

4. A dynamic and mutually beneficial relationship occurs between the Church and

the youth.

5. Both the Church and the youth, have their own peculiarities and responsibilities.

2.3.1 The Youth with Godly Lifestyles in the Bible

In this study, young biblical characters with Godly lifestyles and their contributions in

the Bible will be examined holistically.

1. Joseph: Joseph the son of Jacob was seventeen years old when he became a

shepherd (Leupold 953). God spoke to the Joseph of the Old Testament in two

dreams when he was but a teenager (Bingham 15), and because of his shared

dreams he was sold into slavery by his brothers to the Midianites, and later to

Potiphar, a courtier of Pharaoh, his chief steward (Speiser 289). In Egypt, he had

not one friend, no knowledge of the language, no knowledge of any trade that

could make him valuable, nothing, but his faith in God. He kept hope alive even

when he suffered kidnap, near murder, and eventual sale and re-sale into

servitude in a foreign land (Oshun 9). The supreme healthiness of Joseph’s

nature resists all the infectious influences that emanate from the world around

him, youth restiveness, and preserves him from every kind of morbid attitude

towards the world and life (Marcus 342). He was made an overseer in the house

of the captain of the guard in Egypt when he was young (Genesis 37: 2). He

demonstrated high sense of responsibility in the discharged of his duty to the

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admiration of his master. Although, he faced temptation with Potiphar’s wife.

Angered by his running away from her, she made a false accusation of rape, and

thus assured his imprisonment (Genesis 39: 1 – 20). But he made truth his ally,

and by relating all to God, and his loyalty to his master deep enough to hold, he

saved his honour at the cost of his prospects (Derek 191). According to the

Midrash, Joseph would have been immediately executed by the sexual assault

charge against him by Potiphar’s wife. Arbarbanel explains that she had accused

other servants of the same crime in the past. Potiphar believed that Joseph was

incapable of such an act and petitioned Pharaoh to spare his life (Scharfstein

126). However, punishment could not have been avoided because of her class

status and limited public knowledge of her scheme. How did Joseph become the

man he was? Thomas Kirk writes that one thing which will aid us in

understanding how Joseph became the man he did, is to know something of his

parents and early surroundings (Kirk 2). Joseph lived a godly lifestyle that was

so unique because of the influence of the kind of parents he had. Hamilton

asserts that in Biblical narrative, we first encountered Joseph at the age of

seventeen (Gen. 37: 2). In Gen. 41: 2, he was released from prison “two years

later”. It is unlikely that this is two years after his seventeenth birthday, for now

he is thirty years old. Between his being sold and his being promoted thirteen

years have elapsed – thirteen years of nightmare, hardship, setback, and

frustration. The story of Joseph in Gen. 41 shares with Dan. 2 and the non-

biblical story of Ahiqar a basic ordering of motifs (Hamilton 508):

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i. A person of lower status is called before a person of higher status to answer a

question or solve a problem;

ii. The person of higher status states the problem that nobody is able to solve;

iii. A person of lower status does solve the problem;

iv. The person of lower status is rewarded in some way by the person of higher

status for solving the problem.

2. Ruth: Ruth is the title character of the Book of Ruth (Isidore, et al 302) and was

a young widow who chose to cling to her mother-in-law to be a blessing to her

(Ruth 1: 16 – 18). She exhibited a moral character and commitment to her

marital vows by clinging to her mother in-law even though she was free from her

marital vows. She acted in ways that promote the well-being of others (Sakenfeld

12). Ruth resolved to serve Naomi’s God, which might presuppose that she was

unprincipled and uncultured however Cundall writes that Naomi’s God will be

her God. This does not mean that she has no religious principles or that she rates

friendship above faith. In the very next verse she invokes Yahweh, which

indicates that already she has come to trust in Him. Her trust may not have been

well informed, but it was real. Simeon remarks, “Her views of religion might not

be clear: but it is evident that a principle of vital godliness was rooted in her

heart, and powerfully operative in her life. In fact, she acted in conformity with

that injunction that was afterward given by our Lord, “Whosoever he be of you

that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Simeon 164).

Webb argues that Ruth plays a key role in Naomi’s rehabilitation. From this one

can deduce that, the case of Ruth accepting her mother in-law, her people and

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 Yahweh her God was not the issue of being unprincipled but that of pursuit of a

godly life style and commitment to her mother-in-law because of her marriage

vow (even though she has been free from it since the death of her husband). It is

also devotion to Yahweh who is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Webb 43).

3. David: David is a young shepherd, chosen by God for his pure heart, who first

gains fame as a musician (Botterweck and Ringgren 158) anda skillful harp

(lyre) player (McCarter 207). One of the Bible’s most famous stories is the

marvellous, unforgettable tale of David and the giant Goliath, when the

leadership of the nation was in serious trouble. Saul had been appointed as the

nation’s first king, at the people’s demand (1 Samuel 12: 1). They believed that a

king would bring stability and security during that precarious times and make

them “like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8: 20). However, Saul had been

disobedience to God’s commands and rejected by God but the Spirit of the Lord

rushed upon David from that day forward (Woodhouse 301). On the occasion the

Philistine threat was embodied in a single individual of terrifying appearance and

equally terrifying speech (Woodhouse 305), a champion named Goliath of Gath

but David with the help of God killed a giant – Goliath (I Samuel 17: 42). David

is the only person in the Bible whose epitaph reads “a man after God’s own

heart,” (I Samuel 13: 14). The youths can be kind and God fearing they can also

do the work God as it is demanded of them by God through His church. The

Lifestyle of David is of a very strong dependence on God. He was also described

as handsome and ruddy with beautiful eyes (I Samuel 16: 12). The prophet

Samuel anointed him as a boy to be God’s chosen king (1 Samuel 16: 3 – 13).

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 From that day forward, the Holy Spirit remained with him for the rest of his life.

Even though David knew that God had something more for him than tending

sheep for the rest of his life, he waited patiently on God’s timing and direction.

“waiting patiently” upon the Lord is a rare attribute of the youths which David

demonstrated aptly. The anointing of David as king over all Israel was at Hebron

after Saul’s death. David lamented over the death of Saul (Braun 154). Most

youths lack patient, which is their bane to successful Christian life. Swindoll

states:

I wonder how many people think that David, after he killed

the giant within a matter of just a few days, took the throne
and became the youngest king in the history of Israel. Well,
in case you were one who thought that, you need to know it
did not happen that way (Swindoll 51).

4. Josiah: Josiah was only eight years old when he became king over Judah. At the

age of 16, Josiah began to seek God and at the age of 20 he was credited with

some sweeping and very significant reforms (Akinkoye 6) and he reigned for

thirty one years (Thiele 70).

For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young,
he began to seek after the God of David his father; and in
the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem
from the high places, and the graves, and the carved
images, and the molten images, 2 Chronicles 34: 3.

He didn’t stop there. At the age of 26, after he had cleansed the land and the

Lord’s house, Josiah organised repairs to the “house of the Lord his God.” The

workers that he appointed did the work faithfully, perhaps a quiet reference to his

ability to identify talent. During the repair work, a copy of the Book of the Law

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 of the Lord given by Moses was found in the temple (2 Chron. 34: 14). The book

is not identified in the text as the Torah and many scholars believe this was either

a copy of the Book of Deuteronomy or a text that became a part of Deuteronomy

(Sweeney 137). According to the Bible, King Josiah then changed his form of

leadership entirely, entering into a new form of covenant with the Lord. He

wiped out all of the pagan cults that had formed within his land. He, along with

his people, then entered into this new covenant with the Lord to keep the

commandments of the Lord (Mendenhall 73). He also reinstated the feast of the

Passover, which had not been conscientiously followed since the time of the

judges (2 Kgs. 23: 21 – 23). He is also one of the kings mentioned in the

genealogy of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel, one of the two divergent genealogies of

Jesus in the New Testament. In 1 st Corinthians 5: 7, Jesus Christ is referenced

clearly as the Passover lamb, sacrificed for all, so Josiah’s action was spiritually

significant, in preparing the people for the coming of the Lord (Akinkoye 6).

5. The Hebrew Young Slaves: Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were

slaves in Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar and were selected to study in

Babylon University for three years and after that to enter the king’s service.

Nevertheless, Daniel and friends though young and slaves in a foreign land

resolved never to defile themselves with the royal food and wine (Daniel 1: 8 –

20). Daniel and his friends scaled through their first real test of eating forbidden

food because of their strong religious scruples, which was inculcated into them

from childhood. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are figures from chapter 3 of

the Book of Daniel, three Hebrew men thrown into a fiery furnace by

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Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, when they refuse to bow down to the king’s

image; the three are preserved from harm and the king sees four men walking in

the flames, “the fourth like a son of God,” (Seow 52 – 58). Seeing this,

Nebuchadnezzar brought the youths out of the flames and promoted them to high

office, decreeing that anyone who spoke against their God should be torn limb

from limb (Levine 1239 – 1241). How can a young person bear a living

testimony as these Hebrew youths in the evil and adulterous generation? Luck

writes, “…But Daniel and his three friends still bear a living testimony. Why?

Because even in a day when everything seemed against them, and there were

apparently no human helpers to whom they could turn, nevertheless, they were

determined that they would be faithful to God, and obedient to His will

regardless of the cost. “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past: only what’s done for

Christ will last.” So today the life that really count are not those that merely go

along with the crowd, but those who are determined to stand for Christ regardless

of what the crowd does. Always remember that one plus God is a majority!

(Luck 24) This, Daniel and his friends did what may be unimaginable today. In

the face of a hopeless situation and possible execution for refusal to denounce

their faith in the Lord. But to them there is nothing more valuable more than their

God. They chose to die rather than obey the king whose policies (decrees) were

against that of Yahweh, the God who is their God and cannot be compared to all

the idols and images of Babylon put together. In other words, they preferred

death to compromise. The chief lesson from the story of Shadrach, Meshach and

Abednego is that, as Christians, we will never be able to bring the world to

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 Christ by becoming like it. As did these men, so should we in revealing to the

world a higher power, a greater purpose, and a superior morality, than the world

in which we live (Adetunmbi 80).

6. Esther: Esther was a Jewish virgin orphan nurtured by her uncle, Mordecai who

was brought to Medo-Persia as a slave. Mordecai brought up Esther according to

the strict culture and tradition of the Jewish which abhors unfaithfulness,

dishonesty, disobedience and other vices youth indulge in. Even though she was

pretty, she did not allow that to erode the discipline she received from her uncle

Mordecai. After Vashti was dethroned and the king’s order and edict had been

proclaimed, many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care

of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who

had charge of the harem. The girl pleased him and won his favour. Immediately

he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her

seven maids selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her maids into

the best place in the harem (Esther 2: 8 – 9 NIV). Esther was not elevated to the

throne because she compromised her stand as a child of God. Instead she was

elevated because she stayed committed to her God and the godly heritage she

had. She never allowed her beauty and position to make lose sight of God. God

honoured the step of faith she took while approaching the king on Haman’s plot

to make the Jewish race extinct. Mordecai tore his robes and put ash on his head

(signs of mourning or grieving) on hearing this news. Sheltered in the harem,

Esther was unaware of the decree until Mordecai advised her of it through

Hathach, one of the king’s chamberlains (Crawford 1923). Haman, carried away

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by the joy that this honour gave him, issued orders for the erection of a gallows

on which he intended to hang the hated Mordecai (McMahon 1909). Esther was

also an obedient girl. She respected the king, recognized, and submitted to his

authority. “Esther is described in terms that implies that she is pretty, obedient

silver-tongued and somewhat manipulative. She constantly flatters the King and

never fails to recognise and stress his authority. She waits patiently and

obediently till the King’s permission is given for an audience, only then she

speaks. She is shown to fall on her knees, cry and implore the King” (Fuchs 77).

The virtues Esther exhibited were taught her and never departed from them

despite influences from peers in a foreign land. Esther was not only beautiful

externally, she was beautiful internally. The two qualities must have encouraged

Mordacai to encourage her to go for the beauty pageant. She was matured and

discreet; she did not show the slightest resentment to Haman even when she

knew it was his plot that was putting her and the entire Jewish race in an eminent

danger of extermination. Esther demonstrated impeccable integrity in her ways.

Esther understood her uncle but knew the rules in the palace and told him of the

danger involved in trying to see the King uninvited … Esther courageously took

series of actions which God honours in an amazing way (Adesogan 56). Esther is

a good example of how the youth can live above peer pressure and societal

influences to do what is right. Esther demonstrated her quality of obedience to

her Uncle, Mordecai even to the point when it was her turn to go before the

King; she carried along with her only that which Mordecai told her to carry.

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 During the course of the story, she evolves into someone who takes a decisive

role in her own future and that of her people (Coogan et al 809).

7. The Virgin Mary: She was a 1st-century BC Galilean Jewish woman of

Nazareth (Brown et al 140) and was engaged to the carpenter Joseph (Browning

246), when angel announced she would have a child” (Derek 340). Mary had

someone dating her already but even with that the Lord sent his angel to her

because her relationship with Joseph was without romance or pre-marital sex

which is a very serious lesson for our youths today. In her response to the angel,

Mary said “how will this be since I am a virgin” (Luke 1: 34). Mary knew no

man (Danker et al 627) and was looking at this issue from a human point of

view. She knew and was mindful of the kind of relationship she went into. David

and Pat Alexander commented on the risk that was associated with Mary’s

acceptance of the message from the Angel as follows; “Mary’s quiet acceptance

of a situation bound to cause scandal, and possibly the breaking of her marriage

contract, shows something of the kind of woman through whom God choose to

fulfil his purpose” (Alexander et al 515). The consequence could also be

execution (death by stoning). But, Mary was indeed spiritually sensitive. She

demonstrated that she was ready to lose everything so that God’s will take place

in her life. She kept herself pure by sheer determination in obedience to her

culture; she did not mingle and entangle herself with the affairs of this world.

Hence, she was found worthy to be the mother of the Saviour.

8. Paul: Paul was born in Tarsus, in the mountainous south coastal area of the

country, now known as Turkey (then the Roman Province of Cilicia). In the Acts

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of Paul (Barnstone 447), he is described as “A man of small stature, with a bald

head and crooked legs, in a good state of body, with eyebrows meeting and nose

somewhat hooked” and in the Latin version of the Acts of Paul and Thecla it is

added that he had a red, florid face (Eisler 448). In The History of the

Contending of Saint Paul his countenance is actually described as “ruddy with

the ruddiness of the skin of the pomegranate” (Budge 531). His family belonged

to the tribe of Benjamin, he had a sister (Acts 23: 16), and he himself probably

got married and lost the wife to death, shortly after his conversion (cf. 1 Cor. 9:

5). It is understandable from his epistles though, that he had no wife with him

during his apostolic career (Atowoju 20). The year of his birth is not known, but

it couldn’t have been far from the beginning of the first century A.D. at his first

public appearance, which coincided with the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7: 58), he

was called όνεανιας a young man. For Jews, this will mean that he was

between the age of thirty and forty years. By right of class, he would have gone

beyond a child and a lad, therefore, he couldn’t have been less than thirty years

of age as a Jewish national, an acclaimed Pharisee, and a Rabbinical scholar

whose mind had taken root in the Rabbinical theology. In the earliest part of the

Acts of Apostles, Peter is the central figure, whereas, in the latter part, the place

of honour and prominence is given to Paul (Unnik 73) and his activities, even

though the other apostles were still active. It is of note that he was considered

matured and reliable enough to represent the Holy State of Israel at Damascus

the capital of Syria (Barrett 657). From Acts chapter 13, Luke turns away from

the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, to tell laudable and dramatic story of a new

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 comer, Paul. More than half of the book is about Paul’s missionary work among

the Gentiles, around the Mediterranean, till his arrival at Rome (Morris 15).

Probably because Luke was Paul’s secretary (Moyes 15). During his last

imprisonment at Rome in ca. 60 A.D. Paul speaks of himself from prison as

“Paul, an old man now” (Philem. 9). There is much contemporary youth can

learn from the life of the Apostle Paul ( Παῦλος) c. 5 – c. 67, he is also known

by his native name Saul of Tarsus. Far from ordinary, Paul as a young man was

given the opportunity to do extraordinary things for the kingdom of God. He is

generally considered one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age

(Powell 4). Today, Paul’s epistles continue to be vital roots of the theology,

worship, and pastoral life and counselling in the Universal Church (Aageson 1).

9. Timothy: Timothy was a young man whom Paul was training for ministry (I

Timothy 1: 1 – 2). Paul acknowledges him to be his true son and he commends

Timothy as if he were another Paul (Torrance and Torrance 187). Timothy’s

character was a blend of amiability and faithfulness in spite of natural timidity.

Paul loved Timothy and admired his outstanding personality traits (Tenney

1018). He enjoined him, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the

believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (I

Timothy 4: 12). Paul knew that it was possible for the youth to attend such

lifestyle that is why he enjoined Timothy to do so. The above-mentioned youths

were able to live godly lifestyles because they were well cultured by their

parents, religious leaders and the society. Raymond Brown notes that in the year

64, Paul left Timothy at Ephesus, to govern that church (Brown 655). Therefore,

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 he was the first first-century Christian bishop of Ephesus (Eusebius 109). The

Bible has everything the youth needs to live a godly life (good lifestyle). Youths

should be taught how to study the Bible and be prayerful also so that they will

equip themselves to deal with the kinds of social vices the society presents to

them as mentioned in Chapter one so as to overcome temptations that are

common to them, just as these youths in the biblical narrative had overcome.

They should also know what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, what

courtship is and when to marry. They should also be equipped to decide the kind

of music to listen to and movies to watch.

2.3.2 The Youth with Restive Lifestyles in the Bible

“Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon

you: I (am) the LORD” (Leviticus 19: 28). Our youths are indulging themselves in to so

many practices that the Bible warned us not to (disrespect for the elderly, drug abuse,

hedonism, individualism, indolence, cultic practice, pride, sexual immorality, violence,

the get rich quick mentality and so on). This emanates from the ungodly parental

indulgence, associations or ones unfaithfulness. Below are examples from the Bible of

youths who lived ungodly lives. In other words, they are youths who know not the way

or youths who know the way but rejected it.

1. Cain: Williams asserts that Cain is “the eldest Son of Adam and Eve, and an

agriculturist. As an offering to God, he brought some of the fruits of the ground,

while his brother brought an animal sacrifice,” (Gen. 4) (Tenney 181). His

offering to God was rejected… because he was “of the evil one” (1 John 3: 12),

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and he killed his brother Abel. He became a nomad, but was marked in some

way by God to protect him from being killed himself (Williams 75). That made

him to become the first youth that got himself involve in ungodly lifestyle by

killing his brother just as their father and their mother were the first to commit

sin. Matthew Henry explains it this way,

As all mankind were represented in Adam, so that great

distinction of mankind into saints and sinners, godly and
wicked, the children of God and the children of the devil,
was here presented in Cain and Abel (Henry 16).

Cain acted contrary to the teaching of his parent which present him as a youth

who voluntarily chose the worldly lifestyle Against Godly lifestyle yet God did

not abandoned him “Cain’s bitter resentment shows a very different spirit…

(because of what Cain did) Lamech takes two wives, and boasts to them of the

murder he has committed, out doing Cain (Alexander and Alexander 129).

Today the spirit of ungodly lifestyle has became a very much recognize norms of

the youth. We are just living as in Sodom and Gomorra (Romans 1: 21 – 27).

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor give thanks

to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish path were darkened.

Although, they claim to be wise, they become fools and exchanged the glory of

the immortal God for images made to look like mortal human being and beast,

and animals and reptiles. Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of

their hearts to sexual impurities for the degrading of their bodies with one

another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshipped and

served created things rather than the creator who is forever praised. Amen.

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 Because of this God gave them over to shameful lust. Even their women

exchange natural sexual relationships for unnatural ones. In the same way, men

also abandon natural relations with women and were influenced with lust for

another. Men committed shameful act with other men, and received in

themselves the due penalty for their error.” The situation above is not farfetched

from the common practice of today. Many youth have inter-married with youth

of same sex like them although they claim to know God. Cain killed although he

knew God. His respond to God was that of am I my brother’s keeper? This

shows that Cain know God and his responsibilities.

2. Esau: Isaac’s small household represented a great variety of types of character.

He himself lacked energy, and seems in later life to have been very much of a

tool in the hands of others. Rebekah had the stronger nature, was persistent,

energetic, and managed her husband to her heart’s content. The twin brother

were strongly opposite in characters, and unfortunately, each parent loved best

the child that was most unlike him or her (Maclaren 309). Esau was “ruddy” all

over, like a “hairy garment.” He was one of two individuals in the Old Testament

whose natural appearance was described as red (Hamilton 182). Both he and

David are called admoni (Gen. 25: 25; 1 Sam. 16: 12; 17: 42) (Gordon 231). He

was contemptuous of his special first born status. Based on this, Hebrew 12: 16

describes Esau as ‘unholy.’ Esau did not appreciate that his birthright was linked

to God’s plan of redemption for the whole world (The Holy Bible: English

Standard Version 96). Esau is an example of how a man with a bad reputation

can be more attractive than another who has managed to acquire a good one. In

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 the Old Testament estimates Esau has a black mark, while his brother Jacob has

all the marks of favour (Buttrick et al 666). Many of our youths have lost their

respect, they join cult groups because of meat, money etc. The hereditary rights

of first born son were non-negotiable in those days; but to sell them so cheaply

was a clear mark of contempt for them, it was Esau’s supreme folly that he lived

only for the moment (Bruce 132). But some of our youths today do not have plan

for their future, they are only concerned about what they will get now.The

birthright of the eldest son gave him precedence over his brothers and assured

him a double share of his father’s inheritance (cf. Deuteronomy 27: 17). It could

be forfeited by committing a serious sin (1 Chronicles 5: 1) and it could be

bartered as in this instance. The agreement was solemnized by an oath (Genesis

25: 33).

3. Sons of Eli: “Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord”

(1 Samuel 2: 12). The sons of Eli were scoundrels. They paid no attention to the

Lord or to the regulations concerning what the priests could demand from the

people (Perry 211). Lasor adds, Eli’s wicked sons (2 Samuel 2: 2 – 36).

Symbolic of the toll Canaanite corruption had taken on Israel’s values were

Phinehas and Hophni, the sons of Eli. The flagrantly disregarded the laws

limiting the priests’ share of the sacrifice (1 Samuel 2: 13 – 17). Going so far as

to the demand piece of meat before the sacrifice offered it. Furthermore, their

immorality was aggravated as they engaged in fornication with the women

attendants at the tabernacle and the holy place was desecrated. These men were

sin-hardened and had deliberately set themselves against God (Davidson et al

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 265). Whether or not this was sacred prostitution, such conducts was repulsive to

some Israelite, at least who brought the shocking report to Eli (Lasor 232). On

the other hand, Matthew Henry comments thus, Eli himself was a very good

man, and no doubt had educated his sons well giving them good man, and no

doubt had educated his sons well. Giving good instructions, setting them good

examples and putting up many a good prayer for them; and yet, when they grew

up, they prove sons of Belial (Douglas 137), profane wicked men, and arrant:

they not the Lord. They could not but have a national knowledge of God and his

law” (Henry 385). This means that one can educate his children well yet they

could act differently from what he wants them to be or what they ought to

become. However, this is not to discourage anyone from taking good care of his

children by giving them moral and spiritual lessons and discipline. Do not forget

that, the Bible severally had enjoined us to do so.

4. Sons of Samuel: According to Kutai, Samuel was born to Hannah and Elkanah

as an answer to his mother’s prayer. Samuel did not have the pleasure of growing

among his peers. He started his training and service at a very young age. We

were told Eli’s children were contemptuous in the handling of the Lords sacrifice

and offerings they also slept with the women who served at the entrance of the

temple (Kutai 124). This research will be incomplete if the researcher did not

look at what the Bible say about the sons of Samuel. Samuel’s sons, not of the

same calibre as their father, provide the occasion for a request for a king which is

shown to be rejection, not of Samuel and his sons only, but of Yahweh himself

(Rowley 321). They were self-seekers, auxiliary judges at the Southern

39
 Sanctuary of Beer-Sheba, is reminiscent of the behaviour of Eli’s sons (Turro

168). They turn their heart after materials things of this world. Our youth of

today have committed all kind of things for worldly things. Kutai also added to

his opinion that, “Two sad things we find here, but not strange thing… (Samuel)

had spent his strength and spirit in the fatigue of public business… the children

of a good man turning aside, and not treading his steps” (Kutai 20). There are

many good people whose children have decided to become bad example like

Samuel’s children. Yet there are many bad people whose children managed to

become good example. In the case of Samuel and Eli the parent are both to be

blame.

5. Rehoboam: Rehoboam was a man who despised the wise counsel of the elderly

who were supposed to be good guides for the young king who came to power to

sustain the good legacies of his fore fathers. It is of little wonder therefore that

Lasor writes “discounted the counsel of the elders and yielded to his callow and

ambitious associates” (LaSor 258). Because Rehoboam welcome the advice of

his ambitious associate that gave 10 tribes of Israel away to Jeroboam, Williams

sheds much light on that in this manner, Rehoboam is the son of Solomon and

Naamah who became the last king of the united Israel and the first king of Judah

as a separate kingdom. Solomon’s repressive measures to fund his project led to

the confrontation between Rehoboam and the 10 northern tribes. He increased

the impression and the northern tribes rebelled and made Jeroboam their king (1

Kings 12). Pagan practices appeared in Judah during his reign (LaSor 420).

Rehoboam walked in the counsel of the ungodly and that lead to him losing ten

40
 tribes. Many of our youths have been misled by their associates sometimes peers

and that has put a mark on them for the rest of their lives. Wilmington explained

additional reasons why ten tribes went away from Rehoboam to Jeroboam as

follows:”That after his death God would take the kingdom from Solomon’s son

and give a large portion of it to another” (1 Kings 11: 9 – 13, 26 – 40)

(Wilmington 115). Rehoboam’s ungodly life style help in the action that lead to

the fulfilment of what God has said is going to happen.

6. Youths who Jeered Elisha: “As he was walking along the road, some youths

came out of the town and jeered at him “go on up you baldhead” (II Kings 2: 23

– 24). The point of the taunt is not entirely clear. It may be a way of saying,

‘Keep moving, we don’t want you around here (Gwilym 389). What the youths

did in the above passage is a demonstration of the attitude of some youths of

today which is a disrespect of the elderly. These youths felt they were young

seminarians, so they challenged Elisha’s prophetic office. According to Wood,

“One of Elisha’s main interest was training young Prophets for service. His

purpose was to provide dedicated, trained men to do the work of true prophets in

the manner of Elijah and now himself,” (Wood 320). Even with this noble task

and God-given mandate of training youths to be true prophets of God, yet these

youths jeered at Elisha the man of God and this is nothing but a sign of

disrespect to the man of God, consequently God himself. It is not surprising

therefore, that David and Pat Alexander says, “Young men – local touts, yelling

abuse at the prophet and his God, telling him to go up like Elijah,” (Alexander

41
 272). From what is known about the prophet, he was anointed sometime during

the mid-ninth century and lived into the early eighth (Merrill 380).

7. Seven sons of Sceva (Act 19: 14): ‘Sceva’ is a Latin name (Keener 379). The

man Sceva “was probably a man of Jewish high-Priestly family,” (Bruce 358).

Luke has not signified any doubt about the authenticity of this High Priest,

(Haenchen 565). In Acts 19: 11 – 20, Luke speaks of those miracles which Paul

personally accomplished. In verses 13 – 17, it is reported that some of the

wandering Jewish exorcists also attempted to call the name of the Lord Jesus

over those who had evil spirits, this can also be supported with passages in Mark

9 and Luke 9. This people (Jews) did this wrongly. John Hargreaves is of the

opinion that “We have to distinguish between Paul’s actions and the way in

which the people interpreted them. Paul, with God’s power, certainly healed

people who were ill. But people in Ephesus thought that he healed people by

using magic” (Hargreaves 178). The seven sons of this high-priest of divination

“had been watching Paul do his mighty miracles and decided to attempt a little

exorcism of their own. Seeing a demon-possessed man, they cried out, we adjure

you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth (Wilmington 115).”

But the evil spirit answered and said to them, Jesus I know,
and Paul I know, but who are you? (He)… over powered
them, so that they had to flee out of the house naked and
wounded… (and) the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled,
(Haenchan 563).

Since he (Sceva) lived in Ephesus; he was probably not related in any way to the

official high priestly family in Jerusalem. He seems to have adopted the title of

42
high priest in order to impress the superstitious pagan (Pfeiffer et al 1533). Like

the sons of Sceva, a lot of our youths in the Church have a very low

understanding of the Bible. Many youths in the Church today have “made a false

claim to the Priesthood… The name Jesus could not be used magically, and the

demon recognised that these Jews had no right to use it,” (The New Testament

and Wycliffe Bible Commentary 454). God’s Word is not just meant to be heard

and used for exorcism but obeyed. The youth who hears God’s Word and puts

them into practice is like the wise man who builds his house on the rock. Trials,

temptations and persecutions will come but he will still stand because he has his

foundation on the rock. However, the Youth who hears these words God’s word

and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on

the sand. When trials, temptations and persecutions come, he will not stand.

43
 CHAPTER THREE

YOUTH RESTIVENESS IN LAGOS MAINLAND DIOCESE

(ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

3.1 History of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

History in all its ramifications is enlightening, equipping and inspiring. It makes one

understand the present in the light of the past. It lightens darkness and makes meaningful

current events that are seemingly insignificantly expedient (Omotayo xiii). History is a

glimpse into the past showing how the present has emerged, thus giving the hint on

possible developments of the future as we take note of the pattern of causes and effects

of the past (Gbenga iii); this underscores the importance of an historical and ethical

research on the ethical issues of youth restiveness and its implication in Lagos Mainland

Diocese and its environs.

In dealing with the general history and growth of the Christian Church, the roots of the

Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) reach back deeply into the history and

religion of Israel. ‘Salvation,’ said Jesus, “is from the Jews” (John 4: 22). Jesus came not

to destroy but to fulfill the law and the prophets (Matt. 5: 17). Those who belong to

Christ are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3: 29). The

Christian church was born in a world that was already old. Great empires had risen and

fallen. The glories of Egypt, Sumer, Babylon, Assyria, Persia and Greece lay centuries

in the past. Now it was Rome, the greatest of the ancient empires that governed the

civilized world.

44
It was almost exclusively in that empire that the Christian church lived the first five

centuries of its life (Harry 1). As Palestine was part of the Roman Empire, so the Church

is related, and very deeply so, to Israel, the people of Palestine, the earliest Church was

wholly Jewish, her Saviour was a Jew, and the entire New Testament was probably

written by Jews (Harry 3). Christianity is rooted in Second Temple Judaism, but the two

religions diverged in the first centuries of the Christian era (Mepaiyeda 1). By about 135

A.D. the Gospel had reached Britain, probably through the Roman Soldiers and some

trades. Christianity in Britain was invigorated by St. Augustine’s mission in the year 597

A.D (Akeredolu 3).

The first contact of European with Nigeria was in the natives of the Delta region in 1472

but failed to gain any permanent foothold in Benin, Warri, Bonny, and Calabar

(Adamolekun 45). Antonio Galvao, the 16th century historian, attributed the first

Portuguese voyage through the Bight of Benin to one Ruy de Sequira in 1472. The final

settlement of the Portuguese in the Bight of Benin began in the 1480s through the

availability of slave, just as gold was available in the Port of Elmina: “Portuguese trade

with Benin brought political ties, and under King John II, Christian missionaries were

sent out with traders,” (Ryder 24).

Christianity was introduced into the kingdom of Benin by accident. It was accidental

because the Portuguese were in the West Coast of Africa primarily to trade in gold,

ivory, pepper and slave. As a Christian nation, they aimed at the ultimate conversion to

the catholic faith in their trading partners. Thus, the king and the authorities of the

Roman Catholic Church at home encouraged them. Secondly the Portuguese sought the

45
conversion of their native trading partners because, as Christians, they were looking for

allies against Islam (Eghareuba 45).

Missionary activity in the 15th century was minimal because the overriding commercial

interest in trade in slave and pepper took prominence. The first half of that century

witnessed a revolution in European attitudes and policies towards West Africa. It is

pertinent at this point to state the hard fact of history that the principal relation between

the industrialized nations of the west and tropical Africa for many centuries was the

trade in slaves carried on mainly by Christian peoples of Western Europe and Arabs.

According to Anene:

The establishment in the New World of European

plantations for the large-scale production of sugar, cotton
and tobacco necessitated the search for cheap and abundant
labour. The local Indians were being wiped out through
subjection to arduous plantation labour and it was out of
solicitude for these Indians that Bishop Las Casas
petitioned the Holy Roman Emperor to allow the
importation of Negro slaves (Anene 92).

However, the 16th century witnessed a remarkable interest in missionary activities on

the part of the Portuguese. Because of this, Esigie (1504 – 1550), the Oba of Benin sent

an embassy to king Manuel of Portugal in 1514, and in the following year Christian

Priests arrived in Benin. Egharevba recorded that churches were built, the Oba’s son and

some noblemen were baptized and started to learn how to read and write. Esigie’s

successor, Orhoghua, was said to have been educated by the Portuguese in their school

and was baptized.

46
By Mid-Sixteenth Century, the Itsekiris had become rivals to the Benin in slave trade,

and when the Portuguese Missionaries were spurned in Benin in the period, they were

welcomed by the Itsekiri rulers and the kingdom developed through contact with the

Europeans under the direction of the Bishop of SaoTome, Gasper Cao (1556-1565, 1571

– 1574). Christianity was introduced to Warri by a company of Augustinian Monks sent

to Warri, who founded a Christian settlement, named Santo Augustino. The first success

of the Augustinian Missionaries was sent to Portugal in 1600 to be educated, and

returned to Warri some years later with a noble Portuguese wife and three priests.

It was recorded in history that about the middle of the 16th Century the Oba of Benin,

who had embraced Christianity brought by the Capuchin Monks (of the Roman Catholic

Church) who had accompanied the Portuguese traders to Benin, ordered some of the

Priests to be sent to Ile-Ife, his ancestral home, to introduce the new religion to the Ooni

of Ife. The Ooni accepted the religion and was baptized as “Thomas John Ooni.” The

religion thrived so much that almost the whole town became Christians and a bid Church

was built at Oke-Ileri. The traditional priests who were enraged at finding their religious

practices seriously threatened started to plot against the new religion. Soon after the

Ooni’s death, Ife people renounced Christianity because it did not help them in their

divination. Many early Christians were slain and others fled the town. The Church was

pulled down and on the spot the people took a solemn vow never again to embrace

Christianity. The place was name ‘Oke-Ileri’ since then (Femi-Ologbe 13).

Britain showed her sincerity and commitment in the deal by sending her ships to patrol

the seas in the Gulf of Guinea and many arrests were made. With this abolition, effort

47
was made to transport the freed slaves to Africa and resettle them. This is because the

slaves were considered not valuable again and must be got rid of the streets of Britain so

as not to constitute a social menace to the white society. Sierra Leone was chosen as the

best settlement for the freed slaves.

The first batch of freed slaves to leave the British soil left on April 8, 1787 for Sierra

Leone. The ship was made up of 411 passengers that comprised of ex-soldiers, a handful

of European officials, ‘craftsmen’ and their families, and seventy London prostitutes

(Hanciles 205). Within three months one-third off the slaves died because of disease and

by 1788, only 130 of them remained. One King Jimmy attacked Granville Town where

the remaining of them settled and the whole settlement was completely destroyed.

Though this escapade ended in disaster, it nevertheless initiated the beginning of the

mass movement of these freed slaves from Britain. This made Britain to be more careful

at sending more slaves down to Africa.

A committee was set up to oversee the settlement of the freed slaves and in 1792,

another batch of freed slaves totaling 1190 was sent out. This time around, the slaves

were those from Nova Scotia who fought for Britain during the revolutionary war. They

were promised their freedom and economic opportunities but were abandoned after the

war. One Thomas Peter who was also a freed slave arrived in London in 1791 to appeal

to Britain to emigrate them from Nova Scotia. This mission was however successful as

the already baptized freed slaves landed in Sierra Leone complete with their preachers.

The new arrival of slaves named the settlement Freetown. This group of freed slaves

was already zealous and spiritually ready to continue in their faith. This was manifested

48
in the establishment of the first black church in modern Africa. It is worthy of noting

that Sierra Leone was the first point of entry of the missionaries in West Africa. As

Walker appropriately observes:

The Church (in Sierra Leone) had ready to hand men and
women who were native of these Niger countries (and in
particular the Yoruba countries) who were familiar with the
languages as being their own mother tongues. In view of
this Sierra Leone was, for the purpose of training
“incomparable beyond any other spot (Walker 30).

The records of formation and fast growth of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican

Communion) would not be adequate without tracing the founding of the Church

Missionary Society, considering the escapades of the Christian slave returnees, the

selfless missionaries and the pursuit of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) within the

geographical entity now recognized as Nigeria. The spiritual reawakening and the new

zeal for evangelism that broke out in the sixteenth century in England with major actors

such as John Wesley, William Carey, Thomas Bray (the Rector of Sheldon

Warwickshire) and others that led to the founding of various missionary societies such

as (Adekunle 1):

1. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG) in 1649.

2. The Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge (SPCK) in 1698.

3. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPGF) in 1701

4. The London Missionary Society (LMS) in 1795.

The Church Missionary Society (CMS) is an evangelical arm of the Church of England

founded in 1799 (Eades 28) to carry the good news to the shores of British Colonies

49
including the Equatorial West Africa (Aluko 62 – 63). The spread of the Gospel to West

Africa, and to Nigeria in particular, was closely connected with the abolition of slavery

which arose in England in the first half of the nineteenth century.

On June 1st 1840, am important meeting was held in Exeter Hall, London, with Prince

Consort, Albert, as Chairman. It was decided at the meeting “to stop the supply of slaves

at its source in Africa.” Thomas Fowell Boxton, an important personality at the

meetings, and one whose labour in the British Parliament resulted in the emancipation of

the slaves, stressed that “the Bible and plough must regenerate Africa”. From that very

beginning the Church Missionary Society developed close connection with all activities

to redeem Africa (Akeredolu 4). It rolled out its mission plan for Sierra Leone by

sending missionaries there to meet the needs of the African Christians. The purpose of

the CMS in supporting the earnest request of the Freetown Yoruba Christians for a

mission in Yorubaland was to raise committed, useful, mature and well-informed

Christians who would be proud both of their Christian heritage and native land. The

coming of the Anglican Church into Yorubaland was therefore fully in accordance with

the recognition of the CMS “evangelical allegiance (Walls 348).

In 1841, the British Government commissioned three ships, the Albert, the Wilberforce,

and the Soudan to explore the Niger with the view of establishing trade relations with

the states of the Niger Territories in the hinterland so that legitimate trade could supplant

slave trade. This was to be accomplished through the “Industrial Mission” concept

which emphasized the establishment of industrial fans for agriculture and the general

social welfare of the communities. This mission was headed by Bishop Samuel Ajayi

50
Crowther, a freed slave from Sierra Leone and was also accompanied by Rev. Schoen

(Galadima and Turaki 86). In the thoughts of the CMS Mission, River Niger was “the

highway for the Gospel as well as for legitimate trade” (Stock 454).

The first Church in Nigeria was established by the Methodist church mission in 1842 in

Badagry, Lagos State, Nigeria. The period was the time when white missionaries were

preoccupied with missionary movement to West Africa, Indeed, 1842 became the year

the gospel of our Lord Jesus landed at the shore of Nigeria through Badagry, a suburb of

Lagos city (Ogwuonuonu n.p.). However, it was not until 1842 that Henry Townsend of

the Church Missionary Society sowed the seed of Anglicanism properly when he landed

in Badagry from Freetown, Sierra Leone (Oyawale 65). 1842 marked the beginning of

Anglican/Methodist cooperation in Nigeria in the field of missionary enterprises

particularly as demonstrated in a joint Christmas service conducted at Badagry in 1842

by Thomas Birch Freeman of the Methodist Mission and Henry Townsend of the

Church Missionary Society (CMS) (Olumuyiwa 1).

The first Anglican service was held on 9 March, 1845. They made some efforts to

convert the rulers of Badagry to Christianity but their efforts were met with resistance

because slave trade was still booming there and those who were benefiting from this

trade were reluctant to allow Christianity and the missionaries who would kick against

their trade. The missionaries proceeded to Abeokuta in July 1846 where it fruited

exceedingly. The relationship between the missionaries and the Egba rulers could best

be described as a symbiotic one. The missionary activity helped in checking the

intrusion of Dahomey because they might have captured Abeokuta if not for the military

51
intervention of the British Government (Ayandele 13). By 1847, there were four

preaching places of worship in both Lagos and Abeokuta. Oduyoye claimed:

The first white man to visit Ibadan was Mr. David

Hinderer, the German who had been in the service of the
CMS since 1848. He had penetrated from Abeokuta in
1851… Abeokuta was founded around 1829 as a war camp.
Mr. Hinderer stayed only six weeks on his first visit but
had made up his mind to return and found a mission station
there (Oduyoye 269).

By 1849, the evangelistic activities of these missionaries had produced an impressive

result of over 500 regular worshippers at the Church services with 80 communicants and

200 candidates for baptism in Abeokuta. The mission work progressed steadily in an

amazing manner. For Anna Hinderer, Abeokuta was the first, and until the close of

1852, the only station of the CMS in the interior of the country, with the exception of the

neighbouring village of Oshielle (20). Although, within ten years of planting of

Christianity in Ijebuland, Ijebus had become the largest group of Christians in the whole

of Yorubaland and indeed (Idowu 7), Nigeria but it is not the same in this 21 st century.

By 3rd October 1852, the CMS Yoruba Mission had been firmly established in Lagos

(Fape 64). Infact, it was Itinerant natives who were trades who travelled to areas like

Agbadarigi (Badagry) and Eko (Lagos) that led to the advent of Christianity in Iyaraland

(Olukayode 11). By 1861, there were about 1,500 registered converts with about 800

communicants in Abeokuta (Burton 246). In spite of resentful attitudes of the

traditionalists, the history of the CMS mission in Abeokuta was a successful one. As

rightly notes by Ajisafe:

52
 The land (Abeokuta) thus prosperous, the neighboring
towns observing and hearing of it invited the missionaries
into their midst; the result was the opening of stations at
Oyo, Ijaye, Ibadan, Iseyin, Ife, Ilesa, and some others, also
at the other side of the River Ogun, in the Egbado towns of
Ibara, Isaga, Ilewo etc (Ajisafe 61).

In 1854 another expedition was sent up the Niger. It was a joint venture of the British

Government and Macgregor Laird, the noted shipbuilder. Its objects were exploration, to

ascertain the whereabouts of Doctor Barth, the famous explorer, and to investigate the

possibilities of introducing legitimate trade and the Christian religion into the Niger-

Benue area. Most of its members were Africans and the Europeans dosed themselves

with quinine. This expedition was far more successful as there was no loss of life from

malaria. The Reverend Crowther left his work in Yorubaland precisely Lagos and joined

the expedition (Crampton 20).

On St. Peter’s day, 29th June, 1864 at Canterbury, Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a Yoruba

and former slave was consecrated Bishop of the United Church of England and Ireland,

in the said countries of West Africa beyond limits of our dominions. His See was in

Lagos. It is the same Samuel Ajayi Crowther who translated the Bible into the Yoruba

language (Nmadu 135). Although the Anglican Communion has existed since the 16th-

17th centuries, when the Church of England established foreign missions, its effective

function as a communion of independent Churches began in 1867 (Igbari 78).

The foundation of the Church of Nigeria can be traced to 1906 when a conference of

Bishops in Communion with the Anglican Church held in Lagos. The Rt. Rev. E.H.

Elwin, then Bishop of Sierra Leone, presided at the meeting. The Rt. Rev. Herbert

53
Tugwell (Bishop of Western Equatorial Africa) was there with four of his Assistant

Bishops: Charles Philips, Isaac Oluwole, James Johnson and N. Temple Hamlyn. It was

there that the need for a Province of West Africa was first highlighted (Nmadu 136).By

1919 when Bishop Tugwell retired, the Diocese of Western Equatorial Africa had so

much expanded that the CMS decided to split it into two Dioceses by constituting the

old Niger and the former Yoruba mission, which had now extended to parts of Northern

Nigeria, into the Diocese of Lagos (Ademowo 68).

Therefore, Lagos became a diocese of its own in 1919. A second conference for the

purpose of inauguration of the Church of the Province of West Africa came up again in

Lagos in 1935. But it was the conference of 30th October – 3rd November, 1944, also in

Lagos that made a clear headway on this matter, leading first to the inauguration of the

Church of the Province of West Africa in Freetown, Sierra Leone. This was done on the

17th of April, 1951 by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd. Geoffrey

Fisher. The Bishop of Lagos, the Rt. Revd L. G. Vining was elected first Archbishop of

the new Province comprising these five Dioceses (Omoyajowo 110): Sierra Leone

(1852), Accra (1909), Lagos (1919), On the Niger (1920) and Gambia (1935). Between

1951 and 1977, the two Dioceses in Nigeria (Lagos and on the Niger) gave birth to

fourteen new ones: Niger Delta, Ibadan, and Ondo/Benin (all created in 1952); Northern

Nigeria (1954); Owerri (1959); Benin (1962); Ekiti (1966); Enugu, Ilesha (1974);

EGba/Egbado and Ijebu (1976); Asaba (1977).

Already, there were twenty-one dioceses in the Province of West Africa when the

Episcopal Synod met in Ado Ekiti on January 31, 1974 and resolved that, in view of the

54
numerous problems resulting from the side and diversity of religion and social structure

in Nigeria; and the need for the Anglican Church in Nigeria to re-act and speak

constantly with one voice, there was the need for the Anglican Dioceses in Nigeria to be

constituted into an autonomous Province within the Anglican Communion. This

resolution was referred to the Provincial Standing Committee that met the following

February, 1974. In response, a sub-committee was set up with these terms of reference:

Having regard to the provisions of Article 17 Chapter XIX

of the Constitutions of the Province the sub-committee
should consider the feasibility of subdividing the Province
of West Africa and make recommendations to the Standing
Committee (Sanya 4).

At a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Province of West Africa held in Benin

City on the 13th of August 1977, the resolution was adopted for the Church of the

Province of Nigeria to be inaugurated in the month of February 1979 (Nmadu 137) and

the presentation of her first Primate and Metropolitan of the Province, at the Cathedral

Church of Christ, Marina. The Right Reverend Timothy Omotayo Olufosoye, DD, the

Bishop of Ibadan was elected to take the lead, as the Archbishop, and Primate Premiere

(Osunkoya 9).

3.2 The Diocese of Lagos Mainland (Anglican Communion)

The demand (Diocese of Lagos 16) for a Diocese with of St. Jude’s Church, Ebute-

Metta (tagged Cathedral on the Mainland) began during the episcopacy of the then

Bishop of Lagos Diocese, Most Revd D.J. Abiodun Adetiloye. He made concerted

efforts to address the issue by setting up the G.O.K. Ajayi Committee on the Future of

55
Lagos Mainland. This culminated in the creation of the Diocese of Lagos West in 1999.

The second recommended diocese was not created by the time the Most Rev. Adetiloye

retired on 25th December, 1999. The burden was passed over to the next Bishop in the

person of the Most Rev. Dr. Adebola Ademowo (Onwuakpa 83).

In his Presidential address to the 3rd Session of the 29th Synod of the Diocese of Lagos,

the Bishop, The Most Rev. Dr. Adebola Ademowo reports (Diocese of Lagos 15):

The Archbishop recalled that in the year 2000 shortly after

his presentation as Archbishop of the then Province 1 (and
enthronement as the Bishop of Lagos Diocese), he had
visited St. Jude’s Church, Ebute-Metta and was confronted
with a request for the creation of a new Diocese. His
reaction, he says, was to ask the people to exercise some
patience as he was just setting down and he had plans to
audit the Diocese. Besides, he reminds them of the
advantage in the age-long tradition of allowing the
initiative for the creation of a new Diocese to come from
the incumbent Bishop.

The above reaction of the Bishop to the request for the creation of a new Diocese, out of

Diocese of Lagos, with headquarters at St. Jude’s Church, Ebute-Metta, he decides to

match words with actions about five year later. For ease of administration and in order to

bring evangelism nearer to the grass root, the Bishop of Lagos Diocese, the Most Rev.

Dr. Adebola Ademowo, brought a proposal to the Lagos Diocesan Board for its

consideration, the creation of Diocese of Lagos Mainland at the statutory meeting held

on Tuesday 25th October, 2005. The Board overwhelmingly approved the proposal.

An implementation committee to actualize it was empanelled. Hon. Justice Adesola

Oguntade was named Chairman; other members were Chief (Mrs.) Leila Fowler, Mr. G.

56
J. Amadi, Omooba Sam Ogunlogba, Sister G.O. Folayan, Ambassador E. Ola Taiwo,

Rev. Tunde Oduwole (Secretary). The Archdeacons of Ebute-Meta, Idi-Oro and Yaba

also joined the panel (Idowu 46). The Archbishop was convinced that the creation of a

new Diocese out of the existing Lagos Diocese was not only realistic, attainable and

viable but would also enhance effective administrative oversight, especially in

consideration of the present population distribution pattern of priests in the Diocese.

On Thursday, 2nd February, 2006, at a One Day Synod of the Diocese of Lagos, held at

Our Saviour’s Church, Tafewa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos, an approval was given for

the creation of a new Diocese, out of the Diocese of Lagos, to be called Diocese of

Lagos Mainland, with the Cathedral at St. Jude’s Church, Ebute-Metta. The

Archdeaconries to constitute the new Diocese were Ebute-Metta, Idi-Oro and Yaba. An

implementation Committee headed by the Chancellor of the Diocese, Hon. Justice G. A.

Oguntade, was thereafter set up to work out the modalities of creating the need Diocese.

The story of Cathedral Church of St. Jude goes back to 1867 when there was the

persecution of Egba Christians in Abeokuta known as the ‘ifole,’ which broke out in

1876. Persucted Christians made their way to Lagos and found initial refuge in “Palm

Church,” now known as St. John’s Church, Aroloya, then under the superintendence of

the Revd. V. Faulkner. According to Rev. Nathaniel Johnson, the first Vicar of St.

John’s, “these refugees helped to infuse some spiritual life in the congregation already

formed.” Revd A. Mann who had been in charge of the Church before, had returned

home on health grounds. When however Revd Faulkner was moved to Ebute-Metta, the

57
majority of the Egba refugees went with him to found St. Jude’s, hence the name, ‘Ago

Egba’ (DLAM 4 – 5).

Thereafter, the Archbishop forwarded an application to the Primate, Church of Nigeria

(Anglican Communion), the Most Revd Peter Akinola, praying him for the creation of

another Diocese to be known as the Lagos Mainland Diocese. in the said application, the

Archbishop mentioned to the Primate that the 90 Churches that were left in the Diocese

in 1999 after creating Lagos West had grown up to 130 and that the number of

worshippers was growing-many more Churches were still being founded, and that there

were still many areas around the Diocese that had not been reached.

At the Episcopal synod and the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria hosted by

the Diocese of Ibadan North, from 22nd to 25th February, 2006, the application was

presented and the final approval was given for the creation of Diocese of Lagos

Mainland. Subsequently, a Bishop was elected for the Diocese and on 20th August,

2006, the Rt. Rev (Prof) Adebayo Akinde was consecrated as the Bishop at the Christian

Ecumenical Centre, Abuja. On 23rd August, 2006, the Diocese of Lagos Mainland was

inaugurated as the 95th Diocese in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) by the

Primate, the Most Revd Peter Akinola at the Cathedral of St. Jude, Ebute-Metta. The

Diocese situated on the Mainland between the Diocese of Lagos (Mother Diocese) and

Diocese of Lagos West (Onwueringo 108).

The three archdeaconries that consecrate the new Diocese were Ebute-Metta, Idi-Oro

and Yaba. At a One Day Synod held at All Saints Church, Yaba on 9th November, 2006,

the three Archdeaconries which constituted the Diocese was restructured into seven

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Archdeaconries namely; Cathedral Group of Churches, Idi-Oro, Yaba, Ikate, Mushin,

Aguda, and Surulere. The seven Archdeaconry structure of the Diocese was increased to

a Nine-Archdeaconry formation with the formal inauguration of Odi-Olowo

Archdeaconry on 1st March, 2009 and Orile/Coker from the Old Surulere Archdeaconry

on 8th March, 2009 (Onwuakpa 126).

At the Clergy & Clergy wives Convocation held on 2nd January, 2014, the Archbishop

announced the creation of two new Archdeaconries namely Ijesha from Aguda and

Okotafom Idi-Oro. The Ijesha Archdeaconry was inaugurated on 22nd February, 2014,

while the Okota Archdeaconry on 15th March, 2014. This brought the number of

Archdeaconries to eleven. Therefore, due to aggressive Church planting in the space of

four years; it now has eleven (11) Archdeaconries with the following Churches under

each:

1. Cathedral Group of Churches

i. Cathedral Church of St. Jude, Church Street, EbuteMetta, Lagos

ii. Christ Anglican Church, Glover Street, Ebute-Meta, Lagos

iii. St. John’s Anglican Church, Ebute-Meta, Lagos

iv. Emmanuel Anglican Church, Railway Compound, Ebute-Meta, Lagos

v. St. Matthias Anglican Church, Cemetery Street, Ebute-Meta, Lagos

2. Idi-Oro Archdeaconry

i. St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Idi-Oro, Lagos

ii. St. Philip’s Anglican Church, Olorunsogo Street, Mushin, Lagos

iii. St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Palm Avenue, Mushin, Lagos

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iv. Chapel of Transfiguration, LUTH, Idi-Araba, Lagos

3. Yaba Archdeaconry

i. All Saints’ Anglican Church, Montgomery Street, Yaba, Lagos

ii. St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Igbobi, Lagos

iii. St. Francis Anglican Church, Iwaya, Lagos

iv. Anglican Church of Praise, Akoka, Lagos

v. All Saints’ Anglican Church, Makoko, Lagos

vi. Saint John Anglican Church, Onike, Lagos

vii. Anglican Church of the Ascension, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos

4. Ikate Archdeaconry

i. Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Ikate, Lagos

ii. St. James Anglican Church, Itire, Lagos

iii. St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Itire, Lagos

iv. Anglican Church of the Transfiguration, Itire, Lagos

v. Anglican Church of Advent, Itire, Lagos

vi. St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Lawanson, Lagos

5. Mushin Archdeaconry

i. Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Mushin, Lagos

ii. Anglican Church of Advent, Tanimowo, Mushin, Lagos

iii. Emmanuel Anglican Church, Ilasamaja, Lagos

iv. St. John’s Anglican Church, Ilasamaja, Lagos

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v. Anglican of the Living Faith, Okesanya Street, Mushin, Lagos

6. Aguda Archdeaconry

i. St. Bartholomew Anglican Church, Aguda, Lagos

ii. St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Karounwi, Lagos

iii. Anglican Church of the Redemption, Sanya, Lagos

iv. New Covenant Anglican Church, Itire, Lagos

v. Anglican Church of the Ascension, Aguda, Lagos

vi. St. Silas’ Anglican Church, Adetola Street, Aguda, Lagos

7. Surulere Archdeaconry

i. Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial Church, Surulere, Lagos

ii. All Saints’ Anglican Church, Surulere, Lagos

iii. St. John’s Anglican Church, Eric Moore, Lagos

iv. Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Adebola Street, Surulere, Lagos

v. St. Peter’s Church, Akobi Crescent, Surulere, Lagos

8. Odi-Olowo Archdeaconry

i. St. Jude’s Anglican Church, Odi Olowo, Lagos

ii. All Souls’ Anglican Church, Ilupeju, Lagos

iii. Anglican Church of the Ressurection, Ilupeju, Lagos

9. Orile/Coker Archdeaconry

i. St. Michael’s Anglican Church, Coker, Lagos

ii. St. John’s Anglican Church, OrileIganmu, Lagos

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iii. Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd, OrileIgnamu, Lagos

iv. Anglican Church of the Trinity, OrileIganmu, Lagos

10. Ijeshatedo Archdeaconry

i. St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Ilamoye, Ijeshatedo, Lagos

ii. St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Omilani, Ijeshatedo, Lagos

iii. St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Ijeshatedo, Lagos

iv. St. Thomas’ Anglican Church, Ogunsami Street, Ijeshatedo, Lagos

11. Okota Archdeaconry

i. Anglican Church of the Messiah, Okota, Lagos

ii. Anglican Church of Nativity, Canal Estate, Okota, Lagos

iii. Anglican Church of Pentecost, Taiwo Street, Okota, Lagos

iv. Pa. Adegbite Olubi Memorial Church, Okota, Lagos.

The slogan of the Diocese is “Fear God; do it right and flourish” and its vision is stated

as follows “to empower worshippers to walk with Christ everyday and be involved in

the Great Commission through Christian Bible based on contemporary means and

methods.” The Diocese of Lagos Mainland mission statement:

1. To encourage and empower every parishioner to love and obey God in all things,

as well as persevere in faith and holiness

2. To proclaim the word of God undiluted to all and sundry

3. To extol Biblical standard for cherished Christian Institution of Marriage and

Family life

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4. To promote scriptural social advocacy in the context agape love, equity and

justice.

Due to the imminent retirement of the pioneer Bishop, the Most Rev. (Prof.) Adebayo

Akinde, a new Bishop, the Rt. Revd Babatunde Colenso Akinpelu Johnson was elected

on 2nd June, 2016 by the House of Bishop to the See of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland.

He was consecrated on 24th July, 2016 at Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral

Church, Ikeja. On 23rd August, 2016 at the 10 th Anniversary of the Diocese of Lagos

Mainland, the pioneer Bishop who was also the Archbishop, Ecclesiastical Province of

Lagos retired from active Episcopal responsibilities on the attainment of the mandatory

seventy years as required by the constitution. On 24th August, 2016, the Rt. Revd

Akinpelu Johnson was enthroned as the second Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of

Lagos Mainland (Onwuakpa 126). The number of clergy is around 137.

The logo of the Diocese is till acclaims as one of the richest statements ever made with

symbols (Adeseye 42):

1. The Mitre: One of the paraphernalia of the Bishop symbolizing the Episcopal

Authority of the Diocese

2. The Cross: Symbol of Christianity showing true love of God to mankind (John

3: 16)

3. The Dove: Symbol of Holy Spirit and Peace. The Holy Spirit descending upon

the Church (Matthew 3: 16)

4. The Holy Bible: Symbolizes the Word of God as a lamp to our feet, a light to

our path (Psalm 119: 105)

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5. The Bridge: Symbolizes the link between Lagos Diocese and the Lagos

Mainland Diocese, and Jesus, the bridge between us and God (2 Corinthians 5:

19)

6. The Fish: Symbol of early Christianity and common occupation within the

Diocese (Mark 1: 17)

7. Sales Items: Symbolizing commerce, a major occupation of people in the

Diocese.

They all speak about the Great Commission, which is at the heart of the Diocesan as

expressly stated in the vision of the Diocese.

3.3 The Concept of Youth Restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese

(Anglican Communion)

Christians have distinct way of life separated from the worldly norms. Their way of life

is patterned after the Giver of it who prayed that His followers should not be taken out

of the world, but rather, should be guided and protected from the restiveness and evils

that are in it (Tomori 1): “I pray not that thou shouldest taken them out of the world, but

that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17: 15).

The issues of youth restiveness in not a new thing in Lagos Mainland Diocese, infact its

have being before and after the creation of the Diocese. The Synod of the Diocese of

Lagos Mainland in the year 2015 was centered on the concept of youth, their restiveness

and the way out with the theme “Teach the Youths Today and Fashion the Future”

(Akinde 162 – 189). In the words of the Most Rev. Prof. Adebayo Dada Akinde, the

Diocesan Bishop, Diocese of the Lagos Mainland in 2015, this is an issue of immense

64
significance in our lives as we wade through the 21 st Century. Obviously, this century

has brought unprecedented change to our world and the pattern of growth and

development among our youths. The issues surrounding youths in the 21 st Century are

far much different from issues of youth in the yester centuries. The world has changed.

Time has changed. The pace at which we live life has accelerated greatly. This is the

first century in which human beings, through advanced technology, will be able to

radically change human beings, and this fact alone gives it special meaning. Through

technology, human beings will gain the ability to connect to nanotechnology objects in

or on our skulls and to supercomputers or to connect our brains to other external devices.

This is an aspect of trans-humanism, which is highly controversial and will continue to

raise major ethical arguments (Akinde 168 – 169).

Akinde continues that this same century contains more threats from weapons of mass

destruction than ever before. It is the age of youthful defiance leading to local (Lagos

Mainland Diocese) and global threats and now cultism, bad gangs and terrorism is rising

with the availability of weapons of mass destruction that are becoming increasingly less

expensive and easier to access especially within Lagos Mainland Local Government

Area. There is thus, both a sense of anticipation and anxiety globally. Will things get

better or will the planet be destroyed? The very assumptions and world-view of

societies, culture, language, civilization and individuals are changing at a startling rate.

These physical and socio-cultural changes and responses to them, together with the

inherent challenges of youthfulness, present the greatest challenges for the Christian

youth especially in Lagos Mainland Diocese in this 21st Century (Akinde 169).

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Akinde asserts that youth restiveness as a global challenge of the 21 st Century,

commonly referred to as the century’s mega-problem is reportedly transnational in

nature and trans-institutional in solution. Youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese

is on how the so-called postmodern youthful characters of our contemporary culture

affects the Christian beliefs, practices, and traditions; and how that beliefs and traditions

can meaningfully address such a postmodern youth restive world (Lakeland ix). It

cannot be addressed by any government or institution acting alone. More profoundly, the

Lagos Mainland Diocese cannot shy away from the realities of our days. These menaces

require collaborative efforts and actions of governments, organizations and individuals,

but above all, they require God’s enduring intervention (Akinde 170).

This section discusses the presentation and analysis of data based on the investigation

carries out on the ethical issues in youth restiveness and its implications in Lagos

Mainland Diocese with particular reference to Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial

Church, Surulere and Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Mushin, Lagos. Therefore, the data

collected through questionnaires are presented and analyzed in percentage with tables of

specification.

Section A: Bio-Data

Table 1: Sex

Sex Number of Respondents Percentage of Respondents

Male 133 38%

Female 217 62%
Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

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From the above table, 133 males making 38% of the total respondents, and 217 females

making a total of 62% of the total respondents were involved in the exercise. This

indicates that the number of female worshippers in both churches mentioned is more

than the male worshippers. By this discovery the percentage of female worshippers is far

higher than that of the male parishioners in Lagos Mainland Diocese (Anglican

Communion) and possibly in every Christian denomination in Nigeria.

Table 2: Age

Age Number of Respondents Percentage of Respondents

13 – 25 85 24.3%

26 – 35 53 15.1%

36 – 45 32 9.1%

46 – 55 12 3.4%

56 above 168 48%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

The above table shows the age group of the respondents 85 respondents representing

24.3% of the sampling population, were between the ages of 13 – 25 years of age, 53

respondents representing 15.1% of the sampling population were between the ages of 26

– 35, 32 respondents representing 9.1% of the sampling population were between the

ages 35 – 45, 12 respondents representing 3.4% of the sampling population were

between the ages 46 – 55, and 168 respondents representing 48% of the total sampling

population were between the ages 56 and above. This analysis reveals that close to 50%

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of the total population are older than 55 years of old and that the issue of exodus of

youth from some Churches especially in the Diocese of Lagos Mainland and other

Mainstream Churches are true.

Table 3: Educational Qualification

Educational Qualification Number of Respondents Percentage of Respondents

N.D 34 9.7%

HND 63 18

B.SC 170 48.6

OTHERS 83 23.7

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

The above table reveals the educational qualification of the respondents, 34 respondents

representing 9.7% of the sampling population were National Diploma Certificate

holders, while 63 respondents representing 18% of the sampling population were Higher

National Diploma Certificate holders, also 170 respondents representing 48.6% of the

sampling population were Bachelor of Science Certificate holders, and 83 respondents

representing 23.7% of the sampling population have other forms of certification. This

analysis shows that more than 40% of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland memberships are

graduates and educated personalities.

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Table 4: The Position of the Respondents in the Church

Position in the Church Number of Respondents Percentage of Respondents

Clergy 12 3.4%

Laity 338 96.6%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

The above table shows the position of the respondents in the Church, 12 respondents

representing 3.4% of the respondents were clergymen and 338 respondents representing

96.6% of the sampling population were laity.

3.4 The Causes of Youth Restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese

(Anglican Communion)

A good number of scholarly studies have identified the factors that are responsible for

youth Restiveness in Nigeria, the likes of Ogbeifun (1 – 15), Chukwuemeka and Aghara

(400 – 407), Nduka-Ozo and Igba (898 – 901), Oromareghake (47 – 53), Igbo and Ikpa

(131 – 137), Akintoye (3), Tenuche (549 – 556), Haruna and Ayuba (111 – 119),

Elegbeleye (93 – 98), Murphree Garvice and Murphree Dorothy (8), Uriah et al (105 –

130) etc. According to Robin, when one generation is tempted to imagine that its moral

problems are resolved, the next generation discards what it regards as outdated

conventions. In a fast-changing world, moral orders soon appear more as moral

disorders. Little is seems, is left unchallenged almost everything has become contestable

(Robin xi). Incomparably the most imperious causes of youth restiveness which today

69
confronts both the Church and government are the moral chaos of our generation (Barry

1).

Table 5: Youth Restiveness is on the Rise in Lagos Mainland Diocese and its
Environs

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 94 26.9

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 241 68.8%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 15 4.3%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

The above table shows that youth restiveness is on the rise in Lagos Mainland Diocese

and its environments, 94 respondents representing 26.9% of the sampling population

agreed that youth restiveness is on the rise in Lagos Mainland Diocese and its environs,

241 respondents representing 68.8% of the sampling population strongly believes that

the rising of youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese is very alarming while 15

respondents representing 4.3% of the sampling population were undecided concerning

the issue of youth restiveness in the Diocese of Lagos Mainland. This analysis reveals

that youth restiveness is a serious problem in Lagos Mainland Diocese and its increasing

on daily basis. Furthermore, the following are the causes of youth restiveness in Lagos

Mainland Diocese:

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1. Lack of Proper Parental Upbringing

The first agent of socialization in a child’s life is the parent and as noted by Collins, the

home is the backbone of the society (Collins 163). An adage in Yoruba dialect says

“owu ti iya gbon lomo n ran” meaning that a child takes after his/her mother’s character.

Table 6: Lack of Proper Parental Upbringing Leads to Youth Restiveness in

Lagos Mainland Diocese

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 10 2.9%

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 340 97.1%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 0 0%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

The table above reveals that lack of proper parental upbringing leads to youth

restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese and its environs, 10 respondents representing

2.9% of the sampling population agreed to this while 340 respondents representing

97.1% of the sampling population strongly believe that lack of proper parental

upbringing causes youth restiveness in this 21st century and in Lagos State. Also, a

research conducted by Alagbe collaborate these facts that seventy-nine percents of moral

decadence has its origin traceable to the parents of the restive youth (Alagbe 11). Some

parents are so occupied with other activities to the extent of not having enough time to

71
spend with their children at home. They go out very early in the morning and come back

late at night leaving their children to the care of housemaids and the tutelage of the

television. There are also parents who live a life of moral laxity and as such are being

emulated by their children, some parents go to the extent of sending their wards to buy

or sell alcohol, while some parents involved in womanizing and having concubines all

around. Orodiji describes such parents as wayward parents who lack contentment and

self-control (Orodiji 32). Also, there are some parents who just don’t care. They avoid

talking about moral vices with their children and when such children eventually

misbehave, they excuse themselves out of it and term it childishness. Children from such

home often grow to become morally bankrupt and restive youths in the society (Alalade

33).

2. High Rate of Youth Unemployment and Underemployment

Youth unemployment is becoming a serious malady in many parts of the world. In

Nigeria, it has become one of the most serious socio-economic problems confronting the

country (Ajufo 307).

Table 7: High Rate of Youth Unemployment and Underemployment Causes

Youth Restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%
Disagree 0 0%
Strongly Agree 350 100%
Strongly Disagree 0 0%
Undecided 0 0%
Total 350 100%
Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

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The table above shows that all the respondents agreed that high rate of youth

unemployment and underemployment causes youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland

Diocese and its environs. In fact, Awogbenle and Iwuamadi observes from the excerpts

of statistics obtained from the National Manpower Board and Federal Bureau of

Statistics that Nigeria has a youth population of eighty (80) million representing 60

percent of the total population of the country. Sixty four (64) million of them are

unemployed while one million six hundred thousand (1.6 million) are underemployed

(Awogbenle & Iwuamadi 831 – 835). Musari corroborates this statement by saying that

about 4.5 million enter the labour market every year without any hope of getting

employment for life sustenance. The precarious situation has left the youths in a vicious

cycle of poverty that daily erodes their self-confidence and bright future (Musari 217).

With the high rate of poverty, industries are still in shambles, technological development

is till at rudimental stage, income inequality is high, mortality rate and child mortality

rate is high, and in fact, Nigeria development index is still very low (Asaju, et al 12 –

32). It has become a major problem bedeviling the lives of Lagos youth causing

frustration, dejection and dependency on family members and friends, who also have

their own problems to contend with. The high rate of unemployment among the youths

in Lagos has contributed to the high rate of poverty and insecurity in term of violent

crimes, kidnapping, political instability, drug abuses and sexual abuses in Lagos State.

3. High Level of Poverty

Poverty has many definitions and dimensions; economic, social, psychological, spiritual

and material. It is therefore a highly relative term. Some Christian anti-poverty crusaders

73
argue that poverty is a curse on humanity (Oyenekan 10). Chronic poverty is not simply

about having a low income but it is multi-dimensional deprivation involving hunger,

poor nourishment, lack of access to clean water and environment, no access to free

health care services, social isolation and often, economical exploitation (Oyebajo et al

93). Theorists have suggests factors which make nations poverty prone, Grondona (44 –

55), Harrison (296 – 307) and Lindsay (282 – 295) in their separate but related works,

have linked poverty to development in the third world. Their theory, “Characteristics of

poverty” states that development reduces poverty in the third world and that the ability

of a nation to develop and reduce poverty is a function of national mindset.

Unfortunately, in some cases, the few exploit and loot government treasury for their

selfish interest. In Nigeria, the Nigeria’s national Bureau of Statistics put the figure of

the poor in Nigeria at 112.47 million as at 2010 and 112.519 million at 2012 (Ojeifo

116). In 2018, the World Poverty Clock shows Nigeria has overtaken India as the

country with the most extreme poor people in the world with 86.9% million Nigerians

now living in extreme poverty represents nearly 50% of its estimated 180 million

population (Kareem 2018).

Table 8: High Level of Poverty Induces Youth Restiveness in Lagos Mainland

Diocese

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%
Disagree 0 0%
Strongly Agree 350 100%
Strongly Disagree 0 0%
Undecided 0 0%
Total 350 100%
Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

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This table shows that all the respondents see poverty as one of the causes of youth

restiveness in the world, Lagos Mainland Diocese and its environs. Today, Lagos State

has large shanty town areas filled with poor people who lack many of the essentials

basic to human life. In fact, Lagos Mainland Local Government area is overcrowded

with homeless and displaced people, war refugees, handicapped people and beggars

especially in Kano Street, Ebute-Metta; and abandoned street children everywhere

(O’Donovan 141). This experience has made Adejuwon and Tijani to opine that poverty

pervades the Nigeria population and makes its eradication a daunting task for the

government (Adejuwon and Tijani 54) because every citizen has the right to live a

fulfilled life.

Marai says that poverty is not a church challenge posed by postmodern theologians but

rather its one factor hindering the church to reach and convince the postmodernists who

argue that if God is love and fair, he wouldn’t allow some people to be rich while others

poor. No church with lack of resources can reach unsaved people for God’s Kingdom.

To spread the gospel to the end of the world, the church needs to be rich (Marai 51 –

55). Most governments focus on poverty alleviation even in Lagos only on paper, it does

not translate to the poor. Responsible and faithful stewards should be put at the right

positions. When this is done, the level of poverty would reduce drastically. The result

would be healthy members for the Church and society (Dauda 46). In 2019, the World

Poverty Clock reveals that the number of extremely poor Nigerians has risen to 91.6

million, implying that virtually half of Nigeria’s population lives in extreme poverty.

The latest figure shows that an additional four million Nigerians have since fallen under

75
the poverty line and that 6 Nigerians become poor almost every minute, that is, living

below a dollar a day as of February 13, 2019 (Akinkuotu 42).

4. Corruption

Corruption is cosmic, complex and monumental, particularly endemic in the third world.

It is an improbity or decay in the process in which decision maker, consents to deviate or

demands deviation from the criterion which should rule his or her decision making, in

form of a reward or for the promise or expectation of a reward, while these motives

influencing his or her decision-making cannot be part of the justification of the decision

(Petrus 74). According to Abogunrin, corruption is the major reason why the democratic

system of government has remained anathema in most African nations. Africa, of all

continents of the world has refused to develop economically, politically, and socially

due to corruption. Many well-meaning citizens who opposed corrupt systems of rule

have either been forced into exile or jailed and thousands have been assassinated

(Abogunrin 8 – 11). It has eaten deep into our system in Nigeria politically, socially,

economically and, regrettably, has also entered the religious or sacred sector (Danfulani

and Atowoju 159). Despite the declaration of war against corruption by past Nigerian

military and civilian regimes, Nigeria has become a byword for corruption. This is seen

in the indictment of some politicians over money laundering in the West (with the

former British Prime Minister, David Cameron, saying that Nigeria is fantastically

corrupt) (Gaiya and Rengshwat 37). Therefore, when the outside world looks at our

leaders what they see is a bunch of rogues and miscreants, men and women who exhibit

everything but sincerity of purpose. This is part of the reason why we are where we are.

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This country has no visionary leaders. What we have, and have had so far, is at best a

class of mediocre leaders, a self-serving clique, a class that is determined to ruin this

country, political Lilliputians, men and women who have never been interested in

working for any meaningful development of this country (Ojakaminor 17).

Table 9: Corruption is one of the Causes of Youth Restiveness in Lagos

Mainland Diocese

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 350 100%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 0 0%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

The table above shows that all the respondents believe that corruption induces youth

restiveness in Nigeria, Lagos State in particular and the Church. Corruption negatively

affects a nation and the individuals living in it. The country (Nigeria) richly blessed with

natural and human resources still remains underdeveloped and the vast majority of its

population lives in abject poverty. Corruption undermines economic growth. It demeans

a nation and its nationals among the comity of nations. Internally the country and the

people reap its bad effect – rebellion, civil unrest and strikes by workers, insurgency,

ethno-religious violence, election rigging, political assassinations, economic sabotage,

brain drain, moral decadence and lots more (Nharrel 29). But perhaps, the political class

77
alone is not to be blamed. The Electorate too has a great part to play after all politicians

do not come to us from mars. We as a people seem to have lost the ethical values that

our forefathers had (Diocese of Lagos Mainland 36). Against this background, the

Synod of Lagos Mainland Diocese 2018 congratulates the Federal Government on its

unrelenting fight against corruption and calls for more robust actions in tackling

corruption at all levels and in all spheres of our nation without respect for relatives and

party affiliations (Diocese of Lagos Mainland 72).

5. Bad gangs or Peer Groups

Another strong factor responsible for youth restiveness is the influence of peer group.

Peer pressure is influence on a peer group; this may encourages others to change their

attitudes, values, or behaviours to conform to groups (Babajide 14).

Table 10: Peer Pressure could be a Cause of Youth Restiveness in Lagos

Mainland Diocese

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 350 100%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 0 0%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

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The above table shows that 350 respondents representing 100% of the sampling

population sees the issue of peer pressure as one of the causes of youth restiveness in

Lagos Mainland Diocese and its environs. Ryan reveals that peer group is an important

influence throughout one’s life being more critical during the developmental years of

childhood. This can influence how they dress, what kind of music they listen to what

types of behavior they engage in, including risky behaviours such cigarette and engaging

in sex (Abdul 29). In fact, Iyiola also reveals that as children graduate into youth class,

they tend to detach from their parents and associate more with their age mates, abiding

more with the peer group law and order (Iyiola 85). Many teens claimed that the reasons

for having sex at a young age include peer pressure or pressure from their partner. The

effects of sexual activity at a young age are of great concern. Pregnancy and sexually

transmitted diseases are only a few of the consequences that can occur (Dumas & Wolfe

917). Drugs, alcohol are examples; when a child sees his peers smoking and drinking he

may take to the habit as well (Dumas & Wolfe 1125). Some youths are negatively

influenced by their friends into the notion that restiveness is the answer to myriads of

problems facing Nigerian youths. This trend is common among cultists, school drop-

outs and those from poor family backgrounds (Agbaji 69).

6. Lack of access to Education

Another factor that is responsible for youth restiveness is lack of access to education,

and even those that are opportune to be admitted in various educational institutions face

the problem of inadequate learning facilities. Adamu discloses that Nigeria had the

highest number of the out-of-school children in Sub-Saharan African with an estimation

79
of 13.2 million in 2018 (Adamu 37). Adelowo was cited by Akure on the poor

infrastructure in tertiary institutions in Nigeria that the non-provision of conducive

environments for learning would have a negative effect on the products of such tertiary

institutions and the resultant effect of poor policy implementation and poor funding on

tertiary education is lack of or grossly inadequate facilities. In some institutions students

can be seen hanging out of windows and doors receiving lectures. The poor state of our

school environment is bound to breed high level of mediocrity (Adeolowo 34).

Table 11: Lack of Access to Education can induce Youth Restiveness in Lagos
Mainland Diocese

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 350 100%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 0 0%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

The table above shows that all the respondents acknowledge to this fact that lack of

access to qualitative education is a serious problem and is causing youth restiveness in

Nigeria and in the Church. Education is one of the fundamental human rights and it is

the key index of development since it improves productivity and health. But Nigerian

Universities were closed for more than 5 months (July-December, 2013) because

lecturers were on strike. This scenario may reproduce moral social parasites into human

80
societies in the near future. In 2019, the United Nations declares that 617 million

children and youths all over the world cannot read and do basic mathematics. In Nigeria,

four in every 10 children in government-owned primary schools cannot read and up to

eight out of 10 are unable to read for comprehension in a country where children make

up over 44percent of its population (Youdeowel 40).

Furthermore, the present and the previous policies of education have compound the

problem of lack of skills and unemployment in Nigeria, because the curriculum was not

too eager to develop and sharpen the vocational potentials of students, it is not rooted in

skills development and acquisition among students (Nsidibe et al 12 – 13). Ukulor

asserts that the prevalence of moral decadence in our schools in Lagos Mainland has

been of immense concern to many. The stalk gross indiscipline among the students such

as examination malpractice, sexual abuse, roguery, pilfering, cult activities, truancy, and

violent revolts against discipline, among others can hardly be over looked. These

immoral behaviours have been largely blamed on lack of access to quality education and

policy.

7. Absence of Basic Amenities

Billions of Naira are budgeted every year for the provision of basic amenities that are

capable of improving, the welfare of both the rural and urban dwellers. But year in year

out, there is little or nothing to show for it. People bid for contracts and collect the

money without performing. They regarded such money as a reward for contribution to

the election of those in government. Consequently, billions of Naira every year

disappears into private pockets and hence there are signs of decay everywhere.

81
Everywhere there are signs of death, rather than life (Abogunrin 10). There are dearth of

health and health service delivery like hospitals, clinics and primary health centre and a

lack of effective operational planning for holistic health management in Ebute-Metta

communities of Lagos Mainland Local Government.

The majority of Lagos Mainland communities living in isolated areas lack the most

basic modern medical care, including first aids given the absence of formal health

services in much of the hinterland (Obegor 37). Okunola notes that Nigeria and many

other African countries are yet to reach an appreciable level in the provision of

Universal Health Coverage to their people, only four percent of Nigerians had gained

access to quality health care without facing financial hardship while poor people were at

the centre of inequality in health coverage. In Nigeria, about 60 percent of its population

is below the age of 25 and the implication for disease prevention and basic services are

critical (Okunola 38).

The Nigerian political leaders over the years have failed to bring the dividends of

responsible leadership to the populace of Lagos Mainland. The road networks are

terribly bad just as, electricity is almost non-existent. The educational system is in

shamble. The youth therefore remain hopeless while the aged are miserable (Alana 15).

The table below shows that 350 respondents representing 100% of the total sampling

population agreed with the facts above that absence or inadequate infrastructural

amenities causes youth restiveness in Nigeria, Lagos State in particular and even in the

Church.

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Table 12: Absence of Basic Amenities causes Youth Restiveness in Lagos
Mainland Diocese

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 350 100%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 0 0%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

8. Ecclesiastical Negligence and Compromise

Table 13: Ecclesiastical Negligence and Compromise causes Youth Restiveness

in Lagos Mainland Diocese

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 350 100%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 0 0%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

The table above shows that 350 respondents representing 100% of the total sampling

population believe that ecclesiastical negligence and sometimes compromises

83
contributed to the high of youth restiveness in both the Church and the State. Modern

Christianity suffers from two basic deformities; it cannot produce saints and it cannot

transform sinners (Idowuvi). Like Hagin observes we have many conversions but few

births that is where the problem lies no more births. In other words, more and more

people are supposed to be embracing the Christian faith but very few are being

established in the Christ of God and fewer still have the Christ image formed in their

personalities (Hagin 1 – 4).

God’s representatives have suddenly become praise singers to evil doers and saying all

is well when in reality, problems are everywhere. There is so much complacency in the

Church and other religious institutions with regards to condemning societal evil. Sule

rightly denounces the condition of the Church and her workers in today’s dispensation

(Sule 8 – 10). The Church and her workers are selling God’s righteousness for things of

the world because nowadays one can hardly distinguish between men of God and

demons of our days as they both partake and perpetuate the same evils (Sule 10 – 12).

There is danger that the Church is facing presently is that of mixing the Gospel with the

world’s philosophies and rampant materialism. Preaching a cheap gospel, a gospel that

leads to wealth and not heaven, a gospel of good life, and not the Cross; more people are

therefore being deceived to become prosperity-conscious and also lay greater emphasis

on acquiring it. With the posture of the Church and other religious bodies in Nigeria,

evil people have feasts day and evil flourishes unchecked. In fact, sometimes the young

people who want to actually worship God feel unsecured in an environment of

ecclesiastical squabbles when there are options around (Adudu 84).

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 CHAPTER FOUR

THE ETHICAL ISSUES IN YOUTH RESTIVENESS AND ITS

IMPLICATION IN LAGOS MAINLAND DIOCESE (ANGLICAN
COMMUNION)

4.1 The Ethical Issues in Youth Restiveness in Lagos Mainland

Diocese (Anglican Communion)

It is expedient to critically look at the ethical issues in youth restiveness in Lagos

Mainland Diocese (Anglican Communion) and its environs.

4.1.1 Abortion

Abortion is a controversial topic in Nigeria especially in Lagos. Abortion in Nigeria is

governed by two laws that differ depending on geographical location. Northern Nigeria

is governed by The Penal Code and Southern Nigeria is governed by The Criminal

Code. The only legal way to have an abortion in Lagos, Nigeria is if having the child is

going to put the mother’s life in danger (Abortion Policy – Nigeria).

Table 14: The Issue of Abortion is a Serious Problem among Youth in Lagos

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 60 17.1%
Disagree 0 0%
Strongly Agree 290 82.9%
Strongly Disagree 0 0%
Undecided 0 0%
Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

85
The table above indicates the response of the respondents on the issue of abortion among

youth in Lagos State. 60 respondents representing 17.1% of the sampling population

agreed that the issue of abortion is a serious problem among youth in Lagos state, while

290 respondents representing 82.9% of the sampling population strongly believe that

abortion is a critical ethical problem among 21st century youth. Many of the issues

surrounding unsafe abortion focus on adolescents. Although unsafe abortion practices do

affect most of the sexually active women in Lagos, it is believed that adolescents may

require special circumstances and could be a reason for change in this area. A major

issue with teens in Lagos is that they are the most likely not to use contraceptives to

avoid pregnancy and the most likely to turn to unsafe abortion practices. Since abortion

is illegal in Lagos, Nigeria, many women resort to unsafe abortion methods, leading to

abortion-related complications and increasing mortality and morbidity rates in the

country. According to research done by the Guttmacher Institute, Ogbu says that an

estimated 456,000 unsafe abortions are done in Nigeria every year. Also, another

research conducted by Henshaw has revealed that only 60% of abortions are performed

by physicians in Lagos with improved health facilities while the remaining percentage is

performed by non-physicians. A report by Performance Monitoring and Accountability

(PMA) 2020 as reported by Sumaina, in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates

Foundation, indicates that, over two million cases of abortion occur in Nigeria in 2018,

according to the survey conducted between April and May. The report further disclosed

that the highest incidence were among young girls in secondary schools and women in

their early 20s in Lagos State.

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4.1.2 Cultism and Street Violence

Ikande states that cultism, arm robbery and street violence are the most harmful and

dangerous phenomena affecting the lives of Nigerian students. Unfortunately, the

government seems to have no strategy in place at this moment to fight back. Though the

present administration in the country is working hard to find a lasting solution to the

nation’s ailing economy, but if it is not yet winning the battle against armed robbery.

The emergence of cult groups in Lagos was not a result of divine disobedience, but a

precipitate of socio-economic conflicts. The cults constituted themselves into a

protection group that fought and advanced the rights and privileges of their members

including passing exams, acquiring babes, accommodation and serving as political

thugs. The possible effects of cultism on the learning process cannot be exhausted as

both intra and inter-cult clashes negatively affect students in stupendous proportions.

Over the years, crime rate in Nigeria especially in Lagos has risen to an alarming height.

Cases of armed robbery occurrence, pickpockets and shoplifting have increased due to

increased level of poverty among the populace. The crime rate in any country is directly

tied to the level of poverty in the country. No doubt, the rate of unemployment in

Nigeria has become high as thousands of graduates leave school without any hope of

getting a decent job. While social services are unavailable to those without jobs, millions

of Nigerians watch helplessly as corrupt leaders loot the nation’s treasury with reckless

abandon. With the current spate of insecurity arising from youth restiveness and

insurgents’ activities in the country, everything must be done by everyone to ensure that

armed robbery attacks and other criminal activities are reduced to the barest minimum.

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Table 15: The Issue of Cultism and Street Violence is another Ethical Issue in
Youth Restiveness in Lagos State

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 350 100%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 0 0%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

The table above shows the response of the respondents on the issue of cultism and street

violence as an ethical issue in youth restiveness in Lagos state and all the 350

respondents representing 100% of the sampling population acknowledges that it is a

serious problem. Cult clashes lead to an outburst of violence in the Lagos Mainland

communities and school campuses which leaves many people wounded, maimed or

killed as the case may be. It sometimes leads to the incarceration, rustication of both

innocent and guilty students from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

Onyegbula and Onyegbula reports that following the warning that cultists should desist

from gathering for their sacred day, 777, in Lagos, the police arrested 140 cultists at Ele-

Epo, Ogombo, Ajah, Oyingbo and some other part of the state including 35 females,

with ages ranging from 14 to 42. Undoubtedly, the 21 st century children are becoming

more violent on daily basis. In their eyes, human life has no value. The culture of

peaceful resolution of conflicts is lost. Society acquires a negative image. The country

88
loses its favorable appearance and is likened to a medieval community. Members of the

cult do harm not only to others but also to themselves by abusing drugs and neglecting

their own health. All this causes a devastating impact on health and significantly

worsens the quality of life.

4.1.3 Street Prostitution

Uzokwe has identified some causes of street prostitution tendencies as including; peer-

group pressure, bad company, broken homes, unemployment, greed, socio-economic

factors among others. He puts the blame for the proliferation of prostitution in the

university campuses squarely on parents. Some parents of young girls see them come

home with multiple and expensive cell phones they did not buy, flashy and expensive

clothes they did not purchase even cars. Some of these parents gladly receive gifts from

their daughters knowing that they do not work. Some never bother to visit the campuses

to see where their children live and study.

Table 16: The Dilemma of Street Prostitution is a Rising Ethical Issue in Youth
Restiveness within Lagos

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 350 100%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 0 0%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

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The table above shows the response of the respondents on the dilemma of street

prostitution among youth in Lagos state. 350 respondents representing 100% of the

sampling population acknowledge that street prostitution is on the rise on daily basis in

Lagos state. Kalu and Azikiwe attribute the rise in prostitution to the influence of

modern films, western culture and over ambition. Also most working class parents do

not appear to have time to train their children. These being the case, these children

choose whatever they feel is right for themselves to the detriment of their own future. In

recent times, it has become fashionable for young girls of school age to abandon schools

for prostitution in their quest to buy the latest dress or reigning shoes (73). Some of

these girls in the process line up at strategic points of a busy street, hotel lobbies or

leisure palour to solicit for customers (Ojo 2).

The city of Lagos is a concrete jungle of roughly 20 million people. In a survey of

commercial sex workers, almost two thirds or about 63% mentioned that they started

commercial sex work before the age of 19. A majority of them (63%) work from

brothels. Due to the negative public perception of commercial sex work, 88% of workers

operate in cities far from their childhood home (Nnabugwu-Otesanya 8 – 14). To Aluko-

Daniels, based on the estimates of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice

Research Institute, about 8,000 – 10,000 women of Nigerian descent practiced

prostitution in Italy between 2000 – 2009 (Aluko-Daniel 201). In Surulere, Ayilara

Street is more famous for its brothels than creative spaces. Ayilara is split into two parts:

one goes down Lawanson to join Clegg Street; the other was what Nigerian newspapers

described as “Sodom and Gomorrah” and a “prostitution haven.” Osayimwen observes

that the Oju-Irin area (railway line) of Oyingbo at night could pass for the headquarters

90
of the Red-light Districts in Nigeria if a novice storms the area at night. The oldest

profession in the world is proudly and gallantly practiced in the dark at about 7 brothels

competitively lining up closely beside each other. The place is like a centre of unity with

ladies/women of different ages, languages, sizes, orientations, ethnic groups coming

together to contribute their quota to the pleasure industry by trading their bodies.

Bankong-Obi reports that a severely depressed part of Oyingbo in Lagos is a thriving

sex market, where child prostitutes are the wares. The busiest points of this market are

five spectacularly dingy brothels – Niger, Juba, Titilayo, Izibar and Chico all located on

the shoulders of the railway line that runs through the slum from Iddo.

4.1.4 Internet Fraud and Yahoo Plus

Ezea proclaims that before the technological innovation that brought about the Internet,

the financial fraudsters popularly known as 419-ners were in operation in Nigeria

especially in the commercial city of Lagos. They were mainly grown-up, educated and

illiterate men and women, who specialized in using fax machines to defraud unsuspected

foreigners and Nigerians. In the early 90’s, they were the big men and women in the

society. They commanded respect because of the enormous wealth at their disposal.

Unfortunately for some of them like Emmanuel Nwude and others, they were arrested

by the anti-graft agency, tried and convicted. They lost some of their assets to the anti-

graft agency and have since been struggling for survival.

In recent times and with the coming of the Internet system, Nigerian youths especially,

the undergraduates, have taken to the illicit trade called Internet scam. Investigations

reveal that this development is responsible for drastic reduction in cultism in the higher

91
institutions, as it has been overshadowed by widespread cyber fraud. Popularly dubbed

Yahoo boys, to perpetrate the crime, these youths often use yahoo free e-mail account.

The fraudulent business became prevalent in Nigeria in 2000 with the accessibility of

the Internet. Youths who engage in the fraud scam became rich overnight, with or

without their parents’ knowledge. They owned expensive cars, houses, jewellery and

more. They are highly respected and often initiate their peers into the scam.

Table 17: The Alarming Rate of Internet Fraud and Other Forms of Inordinate
Quest for Wealth among Youth is a Serious Malady in Lagos

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 350 100%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 0 0%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

This table shows the data analysis on the alarming rate of internet fraud and other forms

of inordinate quest for wealth among youth in Lagos. 350 respondents representing

100% of the sampling population acknowledge that the rate of internet fraud and yahoo

plus members in Lagos is alarming and needs serious examination and eradication.

Sadly, despite several arrests and convictions over the scam, Nigerian youths have

continued to ply the trade in droves both at home and abroad. Orlu reports that in 2006,

61% of internet criminals were traced to locations in the United States, while 16% were

92
traced to the United Kingdom, and 6% to Nigeria. Tayo observes that in May 2018,

operatives of the EFCC arrested suspected Internet fraudsters popularly known as Yahoo

boys at a nightclub in Lagos. It was a sensational piece of news that grabbed several

headlines even though it wasn’t the first time that the EFCC would arrest suspected

fraudsters. Emefiele was cited by Agabi and Ogwu that the new conveniences of modern

technology have ushered in complex security challenges and cybercrime, these range

from identity and intellectual property thefts, phishing, email spamming, virus

dissemination, to sophisticated hacking and theft by digital crime syndicates.

Jancita observes that the average youth is thinking about money and luxuries of life.

Different forms of vices are being perpetrated by young people, incidentally, most of

those things that used to be money spinners no longer yield much. Some very desperate

members have professed their preference to die young as long as they die rich. In the

quest for the easy way out of poverty, a lot of young men between the ages of 18 and 40

have opted for money rituals. While greed is a major factor, some are believed to have

decided to go into rituals because of oppression by the rich while many believe poverty

is the main cause. Igwe says that the belief in ritual money is often seen as self evident

has driven people across the country to kidnap, murder and mutilate other human beings

including their family members.

In Lagos State and other big cities in the south west, a considerable increase has been

observed in the number of lunatics roaming the streets. Investigations have however

revealed that not all mad men on the streets are genuinely mad. A certain money ritual is

said to be in vogue which involves the money seeker going crazy for a specific period of

93
time after which the remaining rituals would be carried out. Investigations revealed that

most of those who go for this method prefer going to towns where they are unknown to

serve their period of madness. The only risk however is that those not destined to be rich

may remain incurably mad.

4.1.5 Indecent Dressing

Table 18: Indecent Dressing and Sagging is Common among Lagos Youth in
this Modern Age

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 350 100%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 0 0%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

The table above shows the data analysis of the rate of indecent dressing and sagging

among Lagos youth in this 21st Century. 350 respondents representing 100% of the

sampling population believed that indecent dressing and sagging in Lagos State is at

critical stage and urgent interventions are needed in order to be able to checkmates this

indiscipline and youthful immoral lifestyles. Undoubtedly, the last seventy years has

been preoccupied with fashion. The old Victorian form of dressing had given way to

modern ones. In the place of the Old Victorian dresses there now exists the mini skirt,

94
body hug, backless and topless gowns for ladies. These new dresses have largely

contributed to indecent dressing especially among the females in which their more

honourable parts of their bodies are exposed. The exposure serves the purpose of fueling

sexual desires in the opposite sex, thus leading to pre and extra marital sex (Adeloye

134). Gbadegbe and Mawuli observe that it is increasingly becoming obvious that

indecent dressing has gradually taken over the dress pattern of our youths in Lagos State

and the Church is no exception. It has become like an epidemic spreading so fast and the

earlier something is done about it, the better for the future of our desperate and

vulnerable youth (Gbadegbe and Mawuli 165). Egwim refers to indecent dressing in a

more specific term as the attitude of someone, male or female that dresses to show off

parts of the body such as the breasts, buttocks or even the underwear particularly those

of the ladies that need to be covered. In fact, indecent dressing is an ethical issue on

morality especially Christian moral standard; therefore, it is any type of dressing that the

Almighty God abhors. Olori observes that it is a provocative, improper and morally

unacceptable form of dressing. These dress patterns are morally offensive and reveal the

high rate of moral decadence in Lagos State of our contemporary age. Yahaya states that

a decent dressing, of course, is part of human life, because it elicits respect and protects

the person’s dignity. Decent dressing by youths attracts respect from elders, lecturers,

guards, classmates and most significantly protects people from being the target of rape

and failure. This strange way of dressing can result in sexual harassment of the wearer,

abortion, and contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, poor academic performance

and even the desire to steal leading to restiveness. Quite apart from these, there is a great

possibility of indecently- dressed students and co-workers becoming agents of the devil

95
luring unsuspecting colleagues into all sort of vices including prostitution,

homosexuality and lesbianism. Some of those who dressed indecently usually become

confrontational and frustrated. If they are not thugs, they are armed robbers, prostitute,

home or relationship breakers, drug traffickers or addicts (Bua, et al 31). Some of these

youths particularly, the female ones, are agents of the devil on a mission to lure many

men into immorality and away from God. This matter is spiritual and we may tend to

oppose it as academics. But if we must be sincere, we should know that many of these

youths are in cults and occults and their operations are sometimes mystical, magical and

devilish. Several of them that had been confronted with a higher spiritual power had

kowtowed and confessed to their evils and the origin of such powers. It should really

bother us how and why youths of this generation have become wild, rudderless and

aggressively immoral (Omede 231).

4.1.6 Addiction

Table 19: Addiction is another Rising Ethical Issue Among 21st Century Youth

Choice No of Respondents Percentage (%)

Agree 0 0%

Disagree 0 0%

Strongly Agree 350 100%

Strongly Disagree 0 0%

Undecided 0 0%

Total 350 100%

Source: Field Survey, November 2018 – February 2019.

96
The table above shows the response of the respondents on the problem of addictions in

Lagos State. 350 respondents representing 100% of the sampling population agreed that

the issue of addiction is at critical stage in Lagos State. Addiction is a brain disorder

characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse

consequences (Nestler 431). Malenka and his colleagues (Malenka, et al 364 – 375)

asserts that addiction is a disorder of the brain’s reward system which arises through

transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms and develops over time from chronically high

levels of exposure to an addictive stimulus (e.g. eating food, the use of cocaine,

engagement in sexual activity, participation in high-thrill cultural activities such as

gambling, etc). If you take an estimate of 10 boys particularly in Lagos, six will be on

drugs. Several factors are capable of influencing alcohol, sex and drug addictions

among youth. Availability of alcohol is one of the factors that enhance its use and abuse

even among secondary school students and adults in Lagos (Amonini and Donovan

271). The use of alcoholic beverages is very common in most social occasions and

gatherings in Lagos State such as birthday parties, funeral ceremonies and marriage

ceremonies. In many such social gatherings, alcoholic drinks are usually available in

reasonable quantity such that interested adolescents and youths have free access to them

(Kloep, et al 279). Alcohol, tobacco (including cigarettes and cigars) and Indian hemp

have been shown to be most commonly abused drugs in today’s Lagos state

(Makanjuola, et al 112). Other substances such as glue, thinner, petroleum products

among others have been abused by young people (Anochie and Nkanginieme 87).

Rayne notes that such behaviours as having drunken sex might be easier, but it is more

likely to result in sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies. This is so

97
because when someone is drunk enough to override his or her personal issues, he or she

will be far less likely to be able to use contraception correctly. This is even truer with

adolescents. Hence, Ilo found out that there is high unsafe sexual activities among a

greater percentage of teenagers. Regrettably alcohol and drug use have lifelong

consequences in adolescents; some of which arise from such anti-social behaviours often

associated with alcohol and drug as sexual promiscuity and rape (Ilo 137). It is observed

that the incidence of date rape is highest when the victim is drinking or is on drug.

Animal research has been established that compulsive sexual behavior arises from the

same transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms that mediate drug addiction in

laboratory animals; however, as of 2018, sexual addiction is not a clinical diagnosis in

either the DSM or ICD medical classifications of diseases and medical disorders. Some

argue that applying such concepts to normal behaviors such as sex, can be problematic,

and suggest that applying medical models such as addiction to human sexuality can

serve to pathologise normal behavior and cause harm (Haldeman 149).

4.2 The Implications of Youth Restiveness in Lagos Mainland

Diocese (Anglican Communion)

With the increasing wave of youth restiveness in this contemporary age, the Lagos

Mainland Diocese has suffered and still suffering great repercussions for Christian

negligence of the youths. Youth restiveness is given to all kinds of criminal activities

that are contrary to the general wellbeing of the society. Some of the implications of

youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland are the havoc they wreck on Lagos Mainland

community which always affects the inhabitants of the community, their economic

activities, social and spiritual life. Close observation of the trend of events in many

98
Parishes reveals that depletion in youth membership, increased number of nominal

worshippers, increase in sexual discrepancies, high rate of crisis cases are some of the

adverse effects of youth restiveness on the Lagos Mainland Diocese (Alalade 37 – 39).

1. Depletion in Parish Youth Membership: The Diocese has witnessed a drastic

reduction in the number of youth worshippers both at the Sunday and Midweek

services in most parishes in the Diocese. Youths absent themselves from the

Church not only because they feel unblessed but because many of them are

involved in one form of restiveness and moral decadence or the other. As a result

of this, many of them are plunged with a guilty conscience and feel out of place

in the Church. They therefore, prefer to stay back at home watching movies,

going to Stadium on Sunday morning or going out with their peers.

2. Increase in number of nominal worshippers: As a result of being engrossed in

one form of immorality or the other, majority of the youths who don’t stay away

from Church are nominal worshipers. They only come to Church to fulfill all

righteousness probably because of the little fear or respect them still have for

their parents.

3. Increase in number of cultism and crisis cases: Almost on weekly basis, the

number of crisis involving youths being settled in the Church increase by leaps

and bounds. They carry the violence being practiced outside into the Church and

engage themselves in physical combat over trivial issues. Secret cults refer to

groups of persons who usually bind themselves together with secret oaths, whose

functions are usually characterized by anti-social activities and deviant

behaviour. In Lagos Mainland precisely Ebute-Metta, institutions of primary,

99
 secondary, tertiary and apprenticeship education have turned into institutions of

secret cults. This development is very unfortunate and highly lamentable.

According to Ugwuja, the secret cult activities which have engulfed the Nigerian

Universities is an aberration and a thing of great concern to law-abiding citizens

of this country because of its grave consequences on the lives and properties of

many Nigerians (121). Cultism has been so dangerous that the peace and security

which used to characterize life in Ebute-Metta have become things of the past.

4. Increase in sexual discrepancies: It has always been the effect of youth

restiveness in Lagos Mainland which is also a mark of decaying civilizations to

become obsessed with sex. When people lose their way, their purpose, their will,

and their goals, as well as their faith, like the ancient Israelites, they go “a

whoring.” It is a form of diversion that requires no thought, no character, and no

restraint. One of the world’s great historians says that the moral deterioration in

the West will destroy us by the year 2000 A.D. even if the Communists,

capitalist or socialist don’t (Graham 20). Due to the way some female youth

dress to Church, they provoke lust in some male worshippers and even

sometimes in pastors and other Church leaders (Alagbe 16). This leads to the

committal of more sexual sins in the Church among youths and consequently

increases the rate of youth conception and motherhood. This also brings about a

weak Church. When a Church is seriously involved in sexual immorality such a

Church will be so weak almost in all ramifications especially in the area of

prayer, evangelism and sound teaching (Owoeye 60).

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5. Increase in Miscreant Extortion: The presence of restive youths has a negative

effect of extortion on Church members in Lagos Mainland Diocese. They

constitute themselves into menace around the Church environment threatening

the members by extorting money from them either before they go into the

Church or at the end of the service. These have led many members of the Church

in the mainland to stay away from going to the Church on Sundays or for weekly

activities (Abimbola 52).

6. Increase in Family Breakdown: It is obvious to almost everyone today that the

home is under attack, the victim of the devil’s barbs and assaults are the children

because many homes today are often the place of contention, strife, exchange of

harsh and bitter words, homes are unstable, there is rebellion and insecurity in

husbands, wives and children. The children and the youth in broken family often

face the effect of lack of attention from their parents, and because they are left to

themselves, they are often known to develop some vices such youths because of

lack of adequate care from their parent may become handicapped educationally,

socially, physically, and academically. They may resort to stealing and arm

robbery, and some may constitute a security threat to the community, the Church

and the nation at large (Musa 46). There is no one cause of the breakdown of the

home, but rather there are many factors which have contributed dangerously to

the demise of the family in Lagos Mainland one of which is youth restiveness

and some of the long range trends are:

a) The increasing impermanence of the home

b) The increasing divorce rates

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c) The changing morality in our society

d) Declining morality even in churches and ministries

e) Increasing promiscuity (Olosho), Babymama, slay queen and co-habitation etc.

7. Increase in number of the Homosexuals: It is sad to note that the culture of

homosexuality which is a form of sexual perversity has enveloped the world and

it has become a canker worm eating into every fabric of society and leaving in its

trail tales of woes as it has negatively impacted the lives of not only those

involved in the act, but has brought about a negative image for the Church who is

suppose to be a harbinger of hope for the world. Interestingly, the Church is

enmeshed in series of contradicting controversies which has dented the image of

the Church and as such, she is losing grip over the essential responsibility she

has over the spiritual as well as the social lives of the people whom she is to

cater for. Consequently, the issue of homosexuality has become a cancer that is

eating into the live of the Church with the ordination of gay bishops and the

recognition given to the group by various peoples and governments. It is in this

light that this research delved into the response of the African people on the issue

claiming that homosexuality is un-African and it is culturally unacceptable. This

research posited that homosexuality is unethical and unnatural. Therefore, it

should be condemned just like youth restiveness in strong terms (Obasola 77 –

85).

8. Increase in Drug Abuse and Drug Trafficking: Drug abuse is one of the

contemporary implications of youth restiveness and a social problem. One social

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problem, as a matter of fact gives rise to other social problems. Thus drug abuse,

as a social problem, leads to other social problems (Nzeakor 286). It leads to

various criminal and deviant acts amongst citizens especially the youth. It leads

to violence, wanton destruction of lives and property and arson. Any person

operating under the power or influence of drugs is not his normal self, and so can

do and say anything to the detriment of himself, others and the society. The

rampant cases of armed robbery, murder and other atrocities, no doubt, have

some connections with drug abuse amongst the citizens. Odejide reports that

drug use among youths in Lagos Mainland commences as early as the age of 10

years with the ingestion of alcohol and cigarettes (Odejide 4). Adejunmobi also

asserts that out of a sample consisting mainly of 14 – 18 year olds in Mushin, 2.7

percent had used marijuana; one in five drank alcohol regularly, one in four

smoked and one in two used valium, tramadol, codine and Librium regularly

(Adejunmobi 2). Odedeji notes that such young users graduate to using cocaine

and heroine in their youth becoming a menace to their neighbourhood and the

society at large, sadly, both males and females are involved although more males

are drug users than females (Odedeji 5). Drug trafficking is another problem

associated with youth restiveness. Students, unemployed young men and women

are recruited by drug barons to conceal packets of hard drugs in their bodies and

transport the drugs to drug markets both within and outside the country. In 2012,

the Navi Mumbai Police arrested 14 foreign nationals for smuggling drugs to the

city and 13 of them were from Nigeria. In subsequent years, Nigeria became a

transit/trafficking point for category ‘A’ drugs such as cocaine, heroin and other

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 illicit substances intended for Europe, East Asia and North American markets

(Daniel 76). Many of those arrested are wasting their youth in jail or have been

executed.

9. Increase in Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants: Trafficking in

persons is the third most lucrative illegal trade in the world, behind trafficking in

illegal arms and hard drugs. Nigeria is a source, transit and destination country

for women and children subjected to trafficking in persons including forced labor

and forced prostitution. Trafficked Nigerian women and children are recruited

from rural areas within the country’s borders – women and girls for involuntary

domestic servitude and sexual exploitation, and boys for forced labor in street

vending, domestic servitude, mining, and begging. NAPTIP reports that in the

period from January to September 2017, it provided protection and assistance to

1,228 rescued victims of human trafficking, and 41.3 per cent or 506 were

children under the age of 18. The agency reveals further that it received 620

cases at its Investigation and Monitoring Department in the period and

“employment of a child as domestic worker and inflicting grievous harm” had

the highest occurrence at 136 or 21.9 per cent, with “foreign travel which

promotes prostitution” following closely with 124 cases. The rescue of thousands

of Nigerians being trafficked to Libya is a matter of daily reportage in the

country. The Director-General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah-Donli, stated that

over 10,500 Nigerians have been rescued and repatriated so far from Libya,

according to a national newspaper report on July 30, 2018 by Benedict Elujoba.

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10. Bleak Leadership Future: It is often said that youths are the leaders of

tomorrow. At the rate at which bad behavior is spreading among youths in our

Parishes today, the Diocese faces a bleak future leadership wise. This is because

the youths who are to take up the leadership roles have dissociated themselves

from the Church and anything that has to do with her. As a result of continuous

youth restiveness in the Diocese, there is decline in growth and development of

the Diocese. The reality is that lack of Godly sizeable youth population is

causing a drastic decline in the geometric progress of Christianity in Lagos

Mainland environs (Onuorah 81).

4.3 The Possible Ethical Solution to Youth Restiveness in Lagos

Mainland Diocese (Anglican Communion)

The above problems are the most critical ethical issues affecting the youths in Lagos

Mainland Diocese and its environs. In this section, a critical investigation and discovery

of the possible ethical solution to youth Restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese are

stated:

1. Electing Politician with Clear Vision: The growth and development of any

society depends on so many factors but central among which is the vision and

competency of the leadership of such society. The mechanisms through which

such leaders come into power not only determine the legitimacy of such leaders

but also help to make them accountable (Ademola 156). A political leader with a

clear vision and a well articulated development strategy would tend to manage

the politics-administration interface in a manner that enhances the chance of

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 successful implementation of his development programmes and projects,

including such an ambitious one as a universal primary education programme at

a time the idea were virtually unknown in any developing country. It will helps

to ensure provision of adequate resources for nurturing the civil service including

assurance of decent pay, security of tenure, staff development and training and

skills upgrading- all contributing to produce a competent administration with a

public service ethos and an esprit de corps (Adamolekun 29).

2. Reduction of Tax Rate: The tax rate levied on individuals, small business and

even corporations should be reduced. Reduction of the tax rate will attract and

encourage foreign investors which will further lead to the increase of dollar flow.

It will aid in stabilizing the circulation of money in the country (Andy-Philip

379). It will encourage consumer to buy more goods through increase in

purchasing power and it will also help manufacturers to produce more, invents

and employ more youth in their organizations which will later help to reduce the

rate of unemployed youth in Lagos State.

3. Re-assessment of the Educational and Vocational System: A critical

reformation of the educational sector of our nation is crucial; it will help to

increase the number of skillful graduate and makes them problem solvers, more

competent and innovators. Therefore, our learning system must be practically

oriented facing real life issues and maladies rather than mere theoretical

institutions. Youth entrepreneurship programmes should be made compulsory

right from secondary school. Curricula of higher institutions should also be

redesigned to accommodate such programs. And for youth without means to

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 attend school, schools of vocational training should be made available for them.

This would ensure youths are job creators rather than job seekers. Scholarships

should be given to encourage students while also soft loans and grants can be

handed to youths to help assist or fund an idea or project.

4. Poverty Alleviation: Poverty alleviation programs should be set up to gradually

help check the problem of poverty. Parents should be set up for business or be

empowered and advised to learn a trade or new advancements in technology that

can help them achieve a standard living. This should help in taking care of the

family and also successfully funding a child to school. Nwoye states that charity

and almsgiving played good roles in efforts to help the poor but the goal for even

charitable organization should be to help the poor move beyond dependency and

the government should provide the enabling environment to avail the real sector

of the economy credit to establish sustainable businesses. Other ways of poverty

alleviation are to improve educational sector, skill development, promote

entrepreneurship, and stimulate the economy, diversity the economy and

mentoring of younger generation (Nwoye n.p).

5. Increase in Workers’ Wages and Reduction of Recurrent Expenditure: In

Nigeria, there is need to reduce the recurrent spending on salaries, allowances

and commissions of the President, members of the House of Senate and

Representative, Governors and Commissioners etc. they should be paid

according to economic reality and ranks of Office. The wage structure of

Nigerian workers must be reviewed and harmonized. The situation where a

legislator is earning above N15 million a month and minimum pay in the same

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 country is N18,000 is unfair and will breed youth restiveness and serious

rebellion (Momah 106). All our leaders should be made accountable to public

funds in a transparent manner and provides enabling environment for private

companies to invest and creates the jobs.

6. Provision of Infrastructural Amenities: Adewusi listed ways Nigeria

especially Lagos could overcome the comatose state of her infrastructural

facilities which includes transparent system of private sector participation,

diversification of sources of power, independence of the infrastructural

regulatory commissions and strict adherence to the rule of law in all government

activities and interventions as well as political will on the side of political office

holders. The government at all levels must be ready to play by the rules of the

game, if it wants foreigners and local private sector player to invest in

infrastructural development with confidence. The Government needs to diversify

the sources of power generation from gas, coal and renewable like hydro power.

There should be legislation to support renewable power like wind and solar

(Adewusi n.p).

7. Improve Healthcare Delivery: Sarumi asserts that there is no doubt that there is

a need to improve health care delivery in Lagos. The Federal Government should

implement provisions of the National Health Act. It is also important to

strengthen the National Health Insurance Scheme to cover all and sundry. This is

the only way that the mantra of “Health for All” can be achieved. The training

and retraining of health care workers is also very essential. It is also important to

provide a better enabling environment for health care practitioners to give their

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 best, optimise their potential and deliver optimum health care services. The

Federal Government should strengthen existing health facilities and programmes.

The government should reduce taxes on medical equipment, medical

consumables. There should be the provision of basic requirements to make these

centres function effectively. For example, water, electricity and access roads.

The government should address the welfare issue of all health workers so as to

reduce brain drain. These health care workers, if well remunerated, would have

stayed back to help the system grow (Sarumi n.p).

8. Increase the Effectiveness of the Local Government: State governments must

stop the illegal and indiscriminate deductions being made from the revenue of

the local government. State governments must stop dictating to local government

projects and programmes which are not part of the budgets of the local

government and it should be accorded greater autonomy in its finances and

administration which will increase the standard of living of people at the

grassroots especially the youth. To minimize the cost of running local

government, elected councilors should be youth, paid sitting allowances while

the chairman and supervisors should also be youths although limited in number,

but should be full-time executives. The local government should generates

growth and developments, facilitates better administration and more efficient

delivery of goods and services and ensure fertile ground for youth training and

re-training, culture, social changes, democratization and effective governance

(Oyero 47, 73).

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9. Promotion of Values Transformation: An important programme for the

Church is moral recovery through intentional values transformation based on the

Bible, the infallible Word of God. Christian leaders and youth should be made to

realize that they must up hold Biblical values above all other values. Any value

that goes against the Bible must be discarded. It is a choice, which they must

make if they want to be efficient and glorify God. The Christian values must be

positively transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit. This should be done

through consistent and in-depth Bible studies specifically organized for the

Christian politicians and youths, and preaching on various themes related to

values and how they affect our attitudes and behavior (Musa 138 – 139).

10. The Need for Repentance and Forgiveness: The central theme of redemption

is God’s forgiveness being released through His mercy toward the repentant

sinner. Christians should be fully aware of the emphasis the New Testament

places upon forgiving others of their trespasses and their sins toward us. The

Torah reveals that abundant blessings are released upon those who have been

forgiven of their sins and who are willing to choose a righteous lifestyles by

following the spiritual and moral Torah Code. Blessings were promised on their

youth, their crops, their livestock, and the defeat of their enemies was assured.

(Deut 28: 1 – 14) God’s blessing for our youth and individuals are conditional

upon our willingness to follow the new covenant teaching and be willing to

forgive others as Christ forgave us (Matt. 6: 12 – 15). The blessing includes

forgiveness of sin, answer prayers, financial increase and the spiritual

impartation of righteousness, peace and joy (Rom. 14: 17) (Stone 192 – 193).

110
11. The Need for Christian Education: The need for Christian education today

cannot be over emphasized. Christians have a faith and this faith must be

systematically and theologically disseminated to all and sundry. Both the new

converts and the Christians should be brought to the full knowledge of the saving

grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Church as a whole needs Christian education

to put things in the right perspectives. The children, youths and adults must be

educated in the fundamentals of the Christian faith if the Church will get rid of

“bad eggs” as it expands (Aluko 81 – 83).

12. Teach the Youth Civic and Parental Responsibility: It is important to let the

youths know what the Bible has to say about them, their society and their homes.

They want to know what the word of God is teaching about their responsibility to

their parents and that of their parents to them. It is important to emphasize that

youths should obey their parents (Eph. 6: 1 – 3). They should also be told of their

unavoidable loyalty to their parents and to the school authorities and to

government. They should be taught to obey school rules and regulations and that

all governing authority is from God (Rom. 13) (Mbeng 140).

The Church as a major factor in the life of youths has a lot of role to play in making the

youth live Christian life that will not only edify God, but lift high His holy name. The

Church leaders should use all available opportunities of interacting with these youths in

their churches, to admonish the youths on some societal issues and vices and that such

issues should regularly be made topics of lectures and symposia during the youth

programmes. Beside the occasional talks and admonition to the youths during their

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annual society celebrations in all Churches, each Church should endeavour to have

regular counseling programmes for their youths (Fatubarin 41).

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary

Youth restiveness constitutes one of the major ethical and security problems besieging

Nigeria especially Lagos State and the Church of God, and is apparently threatening the

peaceful co-existence of the country. This research examined critically the ethical issues

in youth restiveness and its implications in the Diocese of Lagos Mainland (Anglican

Communion). It has discussed the concept of youth, the theoretical framework on youth

restiveness, the youth with Godly lifestyles, and those with restive lifestyles in the Bible.

It critically investigated the history of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and the

advent of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland (Anglican Communion).

It also vividly evaluated the concept of youth restiveness and enumerated poverty,

corruption, peer pressured, lack of infrastructural amenities and poor access to education

including ecclesiastical negligence and compromise as major causes of youth restiveness

in the Diocese of Lagos Mainland and its environs. It outlined abortion, cultism, street

violence, street prostitution, internet fraud, indecent dressing and all forms of addictions

as the ethical issues in youth restiveness in both the Church and the society in general.

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The work also presented the ethical implications and possible solutions to youth

restiveness in Lagos State especially in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area.

The research discovered that the futures belong to youth. One sure way of addressing

this social vice is by giving the youth a sense of belonging. This can be achieved

through creation of more jobs for the teeming population of youth, provision of social

basic infrastructures needed to encourage small scale businesses. There is the need for

the youth to be liberated psychologically, spiritually and economically from the control

of self-seeking business, satanic agents and political elite who often use them to cause

social disorderliness in the society.

5.2 Conclusion

The outcome of the findings in this study demand urgent attention by all concerned,

most especially the Church and the government. The greatest resource any society can

boast of is its human resources. Nigeria is endowed with this resource in abundance. The

youth in Nigeria constitute the bulk of this human endowment and should not be taken

for granted if we are to achieve sustainability and be among the league of developed

nations as envisaged in the Vision 20: 20. Youth restiveness is a cankerworm that has

eaten deep into the social fabric of the Nigerian nation. The high level of insecurity to

lives and property is very inimical to national development. Destruction of lives and

infrastructure inhibits development as Nigerians and foreign investors are afraid to

invest their resources in the country. Tackling the problem of youth restiveness is a

Herculean task, but it is possible. The parents are to be role models in Christian living

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and service, the efficacy of the word of God, prayers, and perseverance. Only then will

their children will be distinct, distinguished shining lights to their generations.

The Church has an important role in the contemporary world to shape its policies and

direction. The Lord Jesus Christ who is the head of the Church has sufficiently equipped

the Church for task of not only evangelizing, but also calling people to the path of moral

rectitude. Therefore, the Church cannot afford to ignore the problems facing the youths

in Nigeria. It must be actively involved in the welfare of its parishioners whether they

are widows, single mums, spinsters or youths. The exigency of Nigerian life require that

the Church must be ready to intervene whenever the welfare of a particular group or

individual is adversely affected by social, economic, or political policies and physical

occurrences.

In conclusion, the Church must not leave the ethical issues in youth restiveness and its

implications in the hands of individual and the government to handle alone. Many things

have been messed up by the government as a result of the Church distancing itself from

such ethical issues. Therefore, the Church should work together with the state to deal

with the challenges that affect both. Church leaders should note that, what affects the

State affects the Church too (Ogunbiyi 71).

5.3 Contributions to Knowledge

This study offers a new way of examining the ethical issue in youth restiveness and its

consequences in the state and the Church, since the issue of youth restiveness is a

problematic area that affects our total national identity and development that is why this

114
research calls for urgent attention on the part of the Government and the Church to put

in place efforts that will curb this socio-political and economic menace.

This research will serve as a good material or tool of information to individuals,

Government and the Church so that the lovers of youth empowerment and development

can follows the recommendations of this work and will have better understanding of the

challenges facing the youth morally and thereby develop their ability to identify and

compose detailed reports on the theological, historical and sociological important of the

youth in our social and religious milieu. This work is believed to also serve as an eye

opener to theological and humanities students. Finally, in this research, the secrets

behind the growth and development of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

and the advent of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland are discovered and presented.

5.4 Recommendations

The current government should kick-start the evolution of the Nigerian youth by having

a vibrant blueprint or policy focused on education, research and development and

empowerment. It should be a mission statement and commitment of the current and

future governments. Protecting and securing this vulnerable and left-behind group is

now a priority (Lawal-Solarin). Formal education in Nigeria should also be reviewed to

make room for moral education as it used to be in the 1950s, let the children recite in the

morning at school, those virtues of honesty, trustfulness, good name and fear of God.

These virtues will stood one in good stead over time. From kindergarten to the

University, moral values should be inculcated into Nigerian children (Faseke 109).

Concerted effort must be made to fund and develop quality resources materials for youth

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of IEC materials, vocation/self employment manuals, moral and spiritual training

films/video, radio jingles are needed to support youth education, and constructive civic

engagement in their locations (Danfulani and Atowoju 307).

Also civic and moral education as well as religion studies should be incorporated at all

levels of educational curriculum both at the private and public, state and federal schools.

The school administrators, stakeholders in education should adopt appropriate

managerial leadership style of curbing, reducing and eradicating youth restiveness and

immoral acts among students at the private and public, state and federal schools (Ezirim

101). It is not enough for the Church to denounce the evils of prostitution and call on the

government to act. The Church itself must work to enhance the status of women by

clearly teaching that women and girls are not sex objects but human beings created in

God’s image. As such, they should neither be exploited nor abused.

Government should embark on a comprehensive youth empowerment programmes so

that youths can engage in meaningful activities that will make them useful for

themselves and their communities. Job creation for youth is essential with emphasis on

non-formal education programme. This will enable youths to be trained as mechanics,

carpenters, shoemakers, vulcanizers, welders, fashion designers, caterers; hair dressers

etc. poverty eradication programmes should also be vigorously pursued to enable youth

to survive and be self actualized in their chosen career (Onuoha 82).

Both the Government and the Church should mentor the youth. To mentor the youth is

to provide guidance as well as inspiration which the youth can emulate. This becomes

necessary in that children learn as they grow. When children are surrounded by worthy

116
examples and worthwhile mentoring they grow to become responsible people. It is

therefore the responsibility of the government and the Church through its leadership as

well as the elders to mentor the youth by living a life that is worthy of emulation as well

as providing guidance for them (Adeloye 140).

Nigeria Church leaders must confront and condemn evil and dictatorial leaders, in order

to remain truthful and faithful to their calling. They must confront corrupt politicians,

and men of influence in the society who are corrupt, than to eat and dine with them at

nights, while the bulk of Nigerians wallow in hunger and abject poverty (Gwamna 190).

The effort of the Diocese at youth development has not had the desired impact.

Therefore, there is an urgent need for the Church to organize workshop at the Parish,

Archdeaconry, Diocese and Provincial level in which all stake holders in youth

development will discuss youth related issues and develop youth development objectives

and implementation strategies for the proposed youth programmes. The proposed Youth

Development Blueprint will serve as working document for successive administrators in

charge of youths (Onibokun 154).

Dioceses should promote reading of Bible through Diocesan Quiz competitions once a

year among youths. Dioceses should bring back God’s power through intensive prayer

ministry, so that the youths will be mobilized & willing. Time has come to organize

prayer conferences/retreats & prayer summits. Promote once a year Diocesan Camp

meeting for youth stars (10 – 20) because of values of camp in discipleship of youth

stars namely; satisfies youth psychological traits, provides ideal temporal Christian

117
community very much sought by young people, learn so much in a short time, and

provide young people needed leadership training opportunity (Okeke 286).

Dioceses should organize post ordination training to be more intensified to avoid “burn

out” of clergy. The youths have nothing to do with irrelevant priesthood. Commitment,

dedication, holiness, purity of heart and character, brotherly love, unity of purpose and

faithfulness should be made to combine with preaching, teaching and healing, etc in our

effort to bring to our youth in this modern world the Good news that Jesus saves

(Onuoha 108).

The contemporary Church needs to leave her comfort zone to look out for vulnerable

youth in the society without denominational bias or sentiments, making sure that there

are adequate measures to rehabilitate these youth when they are discovered. In the area

of domestic abuse by parents, the Church needs to sensitize the parents with the aid of

the Bible for compliance, guidelines and counselling for training children and the youths

(Nwabuisi 186).

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 APPENDIX

CROWTHER GRADUATE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, IGBEIN,

ABEOKUTA
(FACULTY OF ADVANCED THEOLOGICAL STUDIES)

QUESTIONNAIRE ON

THE ETHICAL ISSUES IN YOUTH RESTIVENESS AND ITS

IMPLICATION IN LAGOS MAINLAND DIOCESE (ANGLICAN
COMMUNION)

Dear Respondent,

The Researcher is a Master of Arts student of the above named institution, who is
currently carrying out a research on the above topic.

Consequently, your co-operation in objectively filling and returning this questionnaire is

highly solicited as this will further assist the Researcher in getting the necessary
information required for a research of this nature. All the information supplied is strictly
for an academic exercise and will be treated confidentially.

Thanks for your co-operation.

SECTION A: Bio-Data

Instruction: Kindly tick () as appropriate.

1. Sex: Male [ ], Female [ ]

2. Age: 13 – 25 [ ], 26 – 35 [ ], 36 – 45 [ ], 46 – 55 [ ], 56 above [ ]

145
3. Educational Qualification: N.D [ ], HND [ ], B.SC [ ], Others [ ]

4. Position in Church: Clergy [ ], Laity [ ].

SECTION B: CAUSES OF YOUTH RESTIVENESS IN LAGOS

MAINLAND DIOCESE

Instruction: Please tick () the appropriate column based on observed reality.

Agreed – A, Disagree – D, Strongly Agree – SA, Strongly Disagree – SD,

Undecided –U.

S/N Question A D SA SD U

1. Youth restiveness is on the rise in Lagos

Mainland Diocese and its environs

2. Lack of proper parental upbringing leads to

youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese

3. High rate of youth unemployment and

underemployment causes youth restiveness in
Lagos Mainland Diocese

4. High level of poverty induces youth restiveness

in Lagos Mainland Diocese

5. Corruption is one of the causes of youth

restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese

6. Peer pressure could be a cause of youth

restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese

7. Lack of access to education can induce youth

restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese

8. Absence of basic amenities causes youth

restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese

9. Ecclesiastical negligence and compromise

causes youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland

146
 Diocese

SECTION C: ETHICAL ISSUES IN YOUTH RESTIVENESS AND

ITS IMPLICATION IN LAGOS MAINLAND
DIOCESE

Instruction: Please tick () the appropriate column based on observed reality.

Agreed – A, Disagree – D, Strongly Agree – SA, Strongly Disagree – SD,

Undecided –U.

S/N Question A D SA SD U

1. The issue of abortion is a serious problem among

youth in Lagos

2. Another issue with the 21st century youth is cultism

and street violence

3. The dilemma of street prostitution is an ethical issue

in youth restiveness within Lagos

4. Indecent dressing and sagging is common among

Lagos youth in this modern age

5. The alarming rate of internet fraud and other forms

of inordinate quest for wealth among youth in
Lagos is a serious malady

6. Addiction is another rising ethical issue among 21st

century youth

7. Depletion in Parish youth membership is one of the

implications of youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland
Diocese

8. Increase in number of nominal worshipper is one of

the implications of youth restiveness in Lagos
Mainland Diocese

147
9. Increase in number of cultism and crises case is one
of the implications of youth restiveness in Lagos
Mainland Diocese

10. Increase in sexual discrepancies is one of the

implications of youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland
Diocese

11. Increase in Miscreant extortion is one of the

implications of youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland
Diocese

12. Increase in family breakdown is one of the

implications of youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland
Diocese

13. Increase in number of the homosexual is one of the

implications of youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland
Diocese

14. Increase in drug abuse and drug trafficking is one of

the implications of youth restiveness in Lagos
Mainland Diocese

15. Increase in human trafficking and smuggling of

migrants is one of the implications of youth
restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese

16. Bleak leadership future is one of the implications of

youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland Diocese

17. Giving monthly allowances to unemployed youth

can reduce youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland

18. Provision of employment opportunities is also

another way of curbing youth restiveness in Lagos
Mainland

19. Provision of basic social amenities is also one of the

ways of curbing youth restiveness in Lagos
Mainland

20. Ensuring that the Mainland citizens have formal

148
 education is a way of curbing youth restiveness in
Lagos Mainland Diocese

21. Proper biblical teaching can help to reduce or

eradicate youth restiveness in Lagos Mainland
Diocese.

22. Establishing skill acquisition programme and centres

can help to curb youth restiveness in Lagos
Mainland Diocese

23. Enlightenment campaign against youth restiveness

can also help to reduce it in Lagos Mainland
Diocese

Thanks for filling the questionnaire.

149