Poverty and the Church in Igboland, Nigeria

About the Book

The main objective of this book is to re-evaluate the true meaning of the term ‘poverty’ in the world as a whole and in Nigeria in particular. From a sociological point of view, poverty is the natural consequence of economic inequity amongst social groups, a type of inequity often generated by the inability of the political class to provide and maintain basic amenities in the society. This book highlights so many complex reasons that are responsible for this type of inability, prominent amongst them being mismanagement of funds in most political setups. Our investigation from this book shows that there’s a great difference between the various forms of poverty in western countries and in other countries of the world.
Poverty may be caused by individual, social, cultural, ethical and moral issues. These various causes of poverty are often correlated. In Nigeria, poverty is mainly caused by lack of moral sensitivities amongst political leaders and by lack of initiatives for cultural, social and economic empowerment of the less privileged. Most striking is the fact that there is no basic well-established governmental structure meant to assist those who languish in poverty.
This book discusses the real-life situation of those who suffer and are living in abject poverty. The book also discusses proposals that can help improve their condition. In line with this, the effective contributions the church can make in order to fight poverty will be taken into consideration. In fact, it is not enough for the church to know that the situation of long-term injustice in Nigeria is crippling the country; rather, she has also to live up to her mission vis-à-vis the poor and the marginalised who are living in the country.

About the Author

Anthony Okwudili Achunonu was born in Isiekenesi in Ideato South Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria, on 20 April 1968. He obtained his bachelor of philosophy and bachelor of sacred theology degrees at the Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Owerri—an affiliate institute of Pontifical Urban University, Rome. He was ordained a priest for the Catholic diocese of Orlu on 19 August 2000. Following his ordination to the sacred priesthood, he was appointed as the assistant secretary to the bishop in 2000–2004. He was sent on a mission to Italy in the diocese of Tricarico in 2004. Since then, he has been the Vicario parrocchiale of Santa Maria delle grazie in Oliveto Lucano provincial di Matera. He combined his pastoral activities and studies and got his master’s degree in pastoral theology in Pontificia Facoltà Teologica dell’ Italia Meridionale San Tommaso D’Aquino–Napoli, in the year 2007, and holds his doctorate degree in pastoral theology at Pontificia Universitas Lateranensis Rome 2012. He is always sensible to the problems of his country and the ways to development, especially how to reduce the condition of the poor people who are suffering in the midst of plenty.