JOURNALS

ABSTRACT

The world is on go, there have always been issues of oppression, victimization, exploitation and marginalization of the poor in most societies. This was even witnessed in the time of Jesus Christ but He took a clear and definite stand on the side of the less privileged and the marginalized in society. This was seen as part of his purpose for coming to the earth which made him give it all that it demanded. In this regard, man also has this divine call and responsibility of defending the oppressed which is the essence of liberation theology. The above analogy is the thrust of this paper and it will be done using a sociological approach and theoretically framed with the Christian theory of human development. The paper, therefore, observes that the level of oppression in the present society is on the increase and the church should not claim ignorant of that. It also observes that the poverty level as it is seen in Nigeria today is manmade which has put many citizens into undue suffering and hardship, The paper concludes that the church and well-meaning Nigerians should rise for the liberation of the poor and the oppressed from the man inhumanity to man as is evident in the present society. It recommends that the ultimate assignment of man in society is to see that love leads which will give no room for oppression. It also recommends that the church cannot lose sight of the fact that oppression is almost taking the centre stage in recent days in Nigeria and should rise to the liberation of man and reclaim his humanity.