SUMMARY
This research work examined the Bible Education programme of Jehovah’s Witnesses as a tool for nation-building in Nigeria. This work was motivated by the need to demonstrate the physiotherapeutic benefits the Nigerian state can derive from the House-to-House preaching work of Jehovah's Witnesses. It problematizes nation building as a national imperative in Nigeria whose attainment transcends beyond infrastructural development and state-building. Nation building has a non-material component and this entails cherished moral values that are central to engendering peace and unity among members of a society. Hence, this study argued that the sooner Nigerians learn to see themselves as brothers and sisters instead of paying attention to their ethnicity and tribes and to focus on the spiritual aspect of their lives which can help improve their personalities and make nation-building easier. Another important factor that motivated this research work was the need to demonstrate that the Jehovah’s Witnesses Bible education programme which some people see as irrelevant is actually sacrosanct to nation-building in Nigeria. It is not a disturbance but a veritable tool for accomplishing unity in Nigeria. It was done to see if the Bible Education of Jehovah’s witnesses is really irrelevant or of high value to nation-building. Having carried out the study, we were able to find out the importance of this bible education programme. We found that contrary to the belief that the Jehovah’s Witnesses Bible education programme is irrelevant and is a disturbance, this programme actually saves lives and also contributes to peace and unity in Nigeria. It helps people abandon their feelings of hatred towards their neighbors and embrace the quality of love. The programme also promotes the cultivation of 107 qualities such as love, tolerance, self-control, patience, long-suffering and hospitality among others which helps Nigerians become good people and law-abiding citizens. The study also examined the historical development of Jehovah’s witnesses in Nigeria, their activities and how these activities are organized. It found that in the twentieth century the need to bear a name that was distinct from others and the need to depict their Christian responsibility prompted the Bible Students, as Jehovah's Witnesses were then called, to adopt their current name. In 1910, the formal modern day history of Jehovah's Witnesses began with the formation of the international Bible Students Association by Charles Taze Russell. However, after the death of Charles Taze Russell, there was division among the people and fragmented groups used a variety of names. So in order to differentiate themselves, the truly distinctive named Jehovah’s Witnesses was embraced in 1931. But the Bible education of Jehovah witnesses came to Nigeria towards the end of 1921 when Claude Brown (later came to be known as Black Brown) paid a brief visit and did some preaching. His second visit in 1923 further helped to spread the preaching work in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria. Even the coming of W.R. Brown helped to spread the Bible education programme in Nigeria. As a result, Nigerians were able to partake in this programme also with the help of those in the organizational structure of Jehovah’s witnesses. First and foremost, the Governing Body which consists of dedicated men who are anointed servants of God and are used by Jehovah God to provide spiritual food and materials used in the Bible education programme. They also give direction and impetus to the kingdom preaching work not just in Nigeria but throughout the earth. The branch offices of Jehovah’s witnesses are also located in all different parts of the world with its headquarters at New York. There are branch offices of committees 108 such as the Hospital Liaison Committee, Disaster Relief Committee, etc. There are also traveling officers and congregations in the organizational structure. The congregations attend meetings in their place of worship which is the Kingdom Hall and the body of elders is responsible for congregation governance. A very important structure is the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society which handles the production of all the publications used by Jehovah’s witnesses. It is used by Jehovah’s witnesses to support their worldwide work, which includes publishing Bibles and Bible-based literature. In fact, it is a legal organization through which Jehovah’s witnesses publish their publications. This project has also discussed how the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses are funded and we have found that it is a non-profit organization composed of volunteers who neither expect nor desire financial return for their services and most importantly, their expenses of the organizations met by voluntary donations. We also pointed out the main objectives of Jehovah’s Witnesses which is to make disciples and to bring about personality reformation among others. Furthermore, the study examined the house-to-house ministry of Jehovah’s witnesses, the tools used in carrying out their preaching work and how a Bible study is conducted. Jehovah’s witnesses trace their meetings for field service to the meeting Jesus Christ held with seventy (70) of his disciples before they went on a preaching campaign in the first century C.E. This example of Jesus has guided Jehovah’s witnesses till today as they hold these meetings prior to going out in the ministry. This helps them discuss issues of methodology, approach and strategy. It gives them directions and how to overcome conversation stoppers or unnecessary discussions to tell people where to preach and how to preach if necessary. Jehovah’s witnesses usually pray at these meetings before going out to preach and at the end of the meeting. The meeting is headed by an elder or ministerial servant in the congregation.
