The Structure of the Chaplaincy of the Nigerian Army

Abstract

The Chaplaincy of the Nigerian Army is a religious institution that renders spiritual, moral, and psychological support services to military personnel in their service to the nation. It has three units with different religious identity: Catholic, Protestant, and Islamic Affairs. Since the commencement of the Army, services of the clergy for the soldiers have been required at both the barracks and on the battlefield, as well as services for their families at the barracks. However, this was never formalized until the situation demanded a religious institutional structure to serve the military more effectively. Guided by the theory of military spirituality, and built on analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data, this exploratory study investigates the structure of the Chaplaincy in the Nigerian Army. It first examines the historical development of the Chaplaincy as a social institution, then explores the social structure of the Directorate of Chaplaincy services, and finally investigates the challenges that the Nigerian Army Chaplaincy encounters.