PROPHECY AND POLITICS IN ANCENT ISRAEL: AN EXPLORATION OF THE ROLE OF PROPHETESS HULDAH IN JOSIAH’S REFORMATION FOR GOOD LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Without a doubt, political leaders should be chastised and ridiculed for their tendency to misuse their positions. Nigeria has an abundance of people and material resources, but its authorities are corrupt and self-serving, encouraging widespread crimes, wickedness, and poverty most of all. The most important issue and challenges facing Nigeria is determined to be the leadership's lack of moral will and ethical fortitude. There is no gainsaying that the nation lacks development decades after foreign colonists left, other than the moral lapses of those occupying positions of leadership and their consequent incapacity to act in the best interests of the populace as a whole. Scholars have written on King Josiah's selfless leadership style and his remarkable reign. Numerous books have also been published on his religious and personal changes, which brought him some recognition among the Israelite good kings. But there has not been enough discussion of Prophetess Huldah's place in this moral and theological structure. Adopting the historical critical and context method, this study investigates the socio-political impact of prophecy from a biblical viewpoint, challenging modern Nigerian religious leaders to act as the conscience of their community. Employing literatures from secondary sources, this study concludes and recommends that the ministers of God and their agents warn, reproach, ridicule, caution, or penalise political leaders and the public at large, depending on the situation