CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
This
chapter discusses the background to the study, statement of the problem,
purpose of the study, significance of the study, delimitation of the study,
limitation of the study, research questions, research methodology and finally
definition of some important terms.
The family is the child first place of contact to the world. The child
as the result acquires initial education and socialization from parents and
other significant persons in the family. Agulanane (1999) pointed out that the
family lays the Psychological, moral and spiritual foundation in the overall
development of the child. Structurally, family/homes is either broken or
intact. A broken home in this context, is one that is not structurally intact,
as a result of divorce, separation, death of one parent and illegitimacy.
According to Frazer (2001) psychologically home conditions arises mainly from
illegitimacy of children, the label of adopted child, broken home, and parent
deprivation. Such abnormal conditions of the home are likely to have
detrimental effect on the development of the child.
Family environment according to Levi-straus is a group manifesting
organizational attributes, finding its origin in marriage (i.e. husband and
wife), and children, including other relatives or kin group, united by moral,
legal, economic, religions prohibitions, as well as socially patterned feelings
of love affection, attraction, piety and care etc: regulation of sexual
intercourse among its members and relatives.
Family environment which can be broken or intact
exert a directional influence on behavior and personality development of a
child. Children from broken home are at great risk in terms of Psychological
problems. This is supported by the report of London institute of Psychiatry
(2008) which pointed out that people from the broken homes are more prone to
psychotic illness in which schizophrenia. This is mental illness in which a
person becomes unable to link thought, emotion and behaviors leading to
withdrawal from reality and personal relationships.
Every society across the globe
has its peculiar problems and challenges. Nigeria indeed is not an exception.
As a developing country, she faces her own share of social, political, economic
and cultural problems, which have in no small way adversely affected the
well-being of the populace. One of such problems is the increasing rate at
which homes break-up, which in consequence has contributed immensely to the
country’s problem.
The problem of broken homes and its effects both on the particular family and
the society have doubtlessly continued to place considerable burden on the
individual, the family, the community and the society at large, as they have
seriously constituted clogs in the wheels of national development and survival.
Broken homes, for instance, usually produce children deprived and denied of
quality education, adequate parental care and wider opportunities, and
consequently, most times turn out to be social deviants and delinquents, with
constitution of nuisance in the society as their major stock in trade.
It follows therefore, that the
prevalence of broken homes in the society is undoubtedly the topmost social
problem, much akin to delicate cancer in the reproductive system of a pregnant
woman and thus, needs a complex surgical operation as a matter of exigency and
expediency, so as to make the problem a foregone issue. This is in view of the
truism that the family is the bedrock of the society, such that if it falls
apart, the society generally heads for the rock of social and cultural decline.
The severity of the issue of
broken homes in the Nigerian society especially in recent times has continued
to bug the minds of concerned Nigerians to the extent that successive
theologians, social reformers, academicians, moralists and even the various
levels and agencies of government have not relented in their concerted effort
to variously find a lasting solution to the menace, but inspite of this, the
problem has persisted.
The word “home”
naturally connotes good in virtually all societies, but that is only when
rightly applied to a man with the intention of starting a family, marries a
wife and subsequently begets children to whom he shows due love and care. It is
a most deserving and rewarding situation, naturally breeding happiness in the
particular family and amongst friends, relatives and well-wishers. For
Christians, it is the manifestation and fulfillment of the Biblical and divine
injunction, “…a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to
his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh; so then they are no more twain,
but one flesh.” – (Mark 10: 7 – 8). However, when the word ‘broken’
precedes the ‘home’, it becomes an epitome of bad omen, an undesirable evil and
is usually frowned at by friends, relatives, well-wishers, the community or the
society because of its perceived and manifest consequential hazards. To
Christians, it runs contrary to the Biblical injunction, “What
therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder” – (Mark 10:9).
The prevalence of broken homes in
the Nigerian society is traceable to since after the Nigerian civil war owing
to obvious socio-economic factors. It is this prevalence that gave the phrase,
‘broken homes’ its household domination of socio-academic pursuits since the
period. This term is a regular occupant of Psychology, Sociological and Family
Law Journals, as it has become part of everyday language. Specifically, lots of
families, villages, towns, cities and communities have often witnessed cases of
broken homes on daily basis. The initial reaction was that people helplessly
watched homes collapse, the only assistance available to such families being in
terms of financial help and advice to the most affected spouse and children
from friends and relations alike. The persistence of the problem has led to the
enactment of laws and initiation of policies both customary, moral and positive
laws to combat the problem, a typical example being the Marriage Act, CAP 115, Law of Federal
Republic of Nigeria L.F.N. 1990. The inability of the adoption of
this system to resolve the problem has led to the evolution of a philosophy and
technique of helping people in such problems through a more careful analysis of
relationships and motives to discover the causes of the problem and to utilize
the increased flexibility and procreative powers latent in human nature in the
resolution of the problem. Despite all these, the problem still obtains and
this situation is regrettable, especially when the fact is considered that this
embarrassing occurrence prevail at a period when the country is clamoring for a
better society built on solid families. In recent times, the increasing awareness
and influence of foreign culture has led to the evolution of a new trend of
social morality which sees couples increasingly the break-up of their homes as
normal and as their own private affairs rather than any other person’s
business. To such, the dissolution of the marriage is a prerogative despite the
fact that such course of action entails grave and negative implications on both
the family concerned and the society in general. Such people end up finding
themselves entrapped by the harsh realities of life and unfortunately for some
at this point, the situation is pitiably irredeemable.
1.1 Background
study
Broken
marriage may well be one of the major problems facing the Church today.
Ordinarily, an ideal marriage will remain united, undivided, and unbroken. This
is the plan written by the mind of the Creator when He gave Eve to Adam as his
permanent partner in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:24). Apostle Paul expressed
the same view, when he recalled Christ’s prohibition of divorce
To
those, now married, however, I give this command (though it is not mine, it is
the Lord’s) a wife must not separate from her husband. If she does separate,
she must either remain single or become reconciled to him again. Similarly, a
husband must not divorce his wife. (1 Cor. 7: 10-11)
This
passage demonstrates that divorce is undesirable, and should not be permitted
in the Christian communities. All efforts must be made to encourage couples to
stay together or get back together, even when they have separated. However, the
intention of this study is not to provide a solution to the social problems
caused by marriage and divorce. Rather, the purpose of this study is to place
the problem of marriage and divorce in a proper context with respect to the
Foursquare Gospel Church, Mupin, Ota, Ogun State.
Broken
marriage connote the division or the separation of parent who have been
together and suddenly divorce or terminated their relationship or untie the
once agreed marriage knot after exchanging material vows and have lived together.
Marriage is an institution that play very important role in the upbringing and
the development of human beings, marriage is the joining together of two
matured people who agree to spend their lifetime together. Thus taking joint
care or responsibility over their children who are the fruits of the union.
Marriage aids the realization of many basic individual needs such as the need
for status. Companionship, procreation and the need to fulfilling sexual
intimacy and satisfaction.
In
fact the institution is gradually losing its standard value as statistics show
that it is fast diminishing as many homes are broken. The problem of single
parenthood is far alarming in our society and the explanations for broken
marriage include among other thongs cheerlessness, parental interference,
religious conflicts, poverty and poor mutual understanding. The Christian
marriage is not just a mere marriage. Christian marriage is unique, and has
been instituted by Christ as a Sacrament. Therefore, this indicates that any
Christian marriage should reflect the mind of Christ. Above all, Christian
marriage is indissoluble, and is guided by conjugal love. For this reason, it
is important for yet to be Christian spouses to be fully and adequately
instructed to the teachings of the Church.
Married
Christian couples publicly agreed before the church to remain husband and wife
for better or for worse, to remain faithful, and above all to love each other
as Christ loves His Church. In marriage, two partners become one flesh, a concept
that is predicated by love. The couples ought to love each other in Christ-like
love. This love is boundless; it was for the love Christ had for the world that
He was able to die for our sins. Christ remains the head of the Church, and He
loves the church unconditionally. In a similar manner, the husband is
considered the head of the family, and should love his wife and family
unconditionally. However, the husband should not lord his headship over the
wife, but must love and provide for the family. The husband should be prepared
to give his entire life for his wife and children. He should work for them.
However, this type of self-sacrifice can only be possible where conjugal love
exists and prevails.
1.2 Statement
Of The Problem
The
issue of divorce is no longer an isolated issue nor a local issue but a global
concern. Broken is one of the troublesome trends in our world today. The aim of
the study is to investigate the causes of broken home and effects on Foursquare
Gospel Church Mopin.
Research Questions
In
the light of the problem above, the following research questions are asked:
- What
are the definitions of marriage and it origin? - What
are the major factors that lead to a broken home? - What
does the Bible say about marriage and broken home? - What
is the role of the church in an attempt to address the challenge of broken
home?
1.3 Purpose
of the study
The purpose of this study is to investigate
marriage and divorce among Christians. This study gives an overview of marriage
and divorce in the Foursquare Gospel Church Mupin. This study also
examines marriage and divorce in early stage of the church, which indicates
that the rate of divorce was particularly low compared to today. The purpose of
this study is to understand this discrepancy. Another purpose of this study
would be to encourage the Church to reconcile teaching with the real life
situation of Christians. The application of the Biblical teachings on marriage
and divorce to Christians would be crucial for this research.
1.4 Significance
of the study
The
significance of this research is to investigate the causes of broken home and
effects and providing solution to Christian homes that are enduring their
marriages rather than enjoying it.
- To
explore the role of the church in maintaining and restoring stability in
marriages - The
study deals with some marital problems that if not properly managed may
lead to broken home. - To
facilitate the entire broken home to re-adjust themselves - To
put an end to the rates homes were broken, many men are living separately
from their wives, parents do not relate well with their children while
some children do not live with their parents. - Make
recommendations to alleviate the problem of broken home among church
members. - To
ensure harmony in many Christian homes leading to rising of well-behaved
children.
To
serve as reference material to other researchers on related topic.
1.5 Delimitation
of the study
This
research work focused specifically on the causes and effects of broken home in
Foursquare Gospel Church, Mopin being a case study. It also covers the probable
resolutions to this great challenge. Even though the research is based on the
local church, as a case study, yet the outcome, implications and recommendations
are beneficial not only to the Christian homes within the zone but also the
non-churched families in general.
1.6 Research
procedure
The
research procedure of this project involved library research, reference to
books, Bible, Dictionary, internet materials, online books, e-books, Wikipedia,
past works of authors, Journals, past project research as they relate to causes
of broken home and effects on the church. Covenant University Library was also
visited for library research. The field work includes the use of oral
interviews of some individuals, groups and pastorate of Foursquare Gospel
Church, Mupin Zonal Headquarter and some families in the church.
Oral
interview was conducted, some questions covering aspect of research topics were
used for collecting information. Questionnaires were carefully selected to
obtain the correct and right information.
1.7 Limitation
of the study
In
the process of this research, many challenges confronted the researcher as
constraints toward the achievement of this work, the constraints include but
not limited to:
- Some
questionnaires were not return to the researcher - Language
barrier is a big challenge because some respondents were unable to
interpret the question correctly - Some
individual refused to answer the questions correctly in order to keep
their secret. - Some
respondents choose to ignore completely
In
spite of all these limitations, the researcher tried to produce a valuable
project.
1.8 Definition
of terms
In
this research work, some terms would be used in the subsequent chapters and
their contextual definition will be useful for the reader to have full
understanding of the work.