Religion, Good Governance and Sustainable Development: The Case of Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Religion when put in proper use and perspective, should enable good governance, which in turn should encourage sustainable development in any given Society. This should be so because religion encourages the entrenchment of proper ethical Standards, probity and accountability in both individual and societal systems. Although presently in most Western Societies there is a marked separation between religion and politics or governmental systems, however a closer examination shows that the governmental systems have previously absorbed the ethical standards of religion when they were working together without the contemporary dichotomy. This had helped those societies to develop considerably to the standards they are presently. In the case of Imo State and Nigeria, it has been a situation of using religion to advance and achieve selfish ambitions, political goals and of sowing the seeds of discord, in the society, thus stalling the much-needed sustainable development. Religion which otherwise, should advance peace, good governance and overall development now rather sets one group against another, and one ethnic nationality against another. Religious terrorism is therefore the order of the day, destroying lives and property and making the citizenry to live in fear and uncertainty. Also the political office holders do not adhere to the ethical standards of their religion as they profess one thing and do another in real practice. This is apparent when political office holders, taking oath of office with the Bible or Koran or even the Ofo on their hands, swear to abide by the Constitution and fight corruption and unethical practices; but once in office, they do the contrary. This paper therefore examines the interplay of religion, good governance and Sustainable development especially in the Nigerian context with a view to ascertaining how one should help to advance the other and any factors to the contrary. The historical and analytical methods are utilized in this investigation.