JOURNALS

ABSTRACT

Pentecostalism is a vibrant revival movement that broke out in the 20th century in the United States of America. The movement is quite unique in its operations and a departure from the orthodox Christianity as they emphasized on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ which is marked by the infilling of the Holy Spirit that comes with signs and wonders. This movement easily found its way into Christianity in Nigeria firstly through the protestants that later dovetailed into modern Pentecostalism. The paper focuses on Pentecostalism in Nigeria which was originally mirrored after the 20th century revival movement, and was identified with vibrant revivalists and evangelists known for prayers, fasting’s with accompanying signs and wonders, while living a lifestyle of piety that was dedicated to the service of God devoid of worldly entanglements including teachings on prosperity. It also examines how Pentecostalism became alluring to Nigerian christians as a result of the assurances of life, health and peace it guarantees which the state could not provide, and also a more recent band that emerged about three decades ago which have redefined pentecostalism to come with wealth, suffice to say that the proliferation of the doctrine of prosperity has a correlation with the culture of corruption in Nigeria which is on the rise despite the large following of pentecostal movements in the country. This paper therefore gives a historical perspective on the introduction of religion into the country from which pentecostalism evolved from. It further appraises Pentecostalism in Nigeria from the lenses of the classical and the neo pentecostal school, and also how religiosity has affected the culture of corruption in the country. The paper concludes by drawing the nexus between pentecostalism and corruption as the acceptability of pentecostalism among christians in Nigeria is supposed to be an antidote to corruption first in christianity and also in the society based on the principles of the movement that emphasizes on piety and modesty