ADOPTION IN PHILEMON 1:10-11 AS A STRATEGY FOR COMBATING YOUTH RESTIVENESS IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT: There is no human society that is bereft of youth. The youth constitute a very significant part inevery human society. The existence of the youth guarantees continuity of human beings and enablestransmissionof moral values and ethos in the society. However, current activities in the Nigerian society and the global worldcharacterized by unwholesome attitudes by the youth such as internet fraud, armed robbery, theft, drug abuse,rape, kidnapping, militancy and cult related activities with its adverse consequences suggests a relapse in thenumbers of youth in the society. Who is to be blamed? The youth, parents, churches, society or government?How can this youth restiveness be curbed? What role can Christian families and church organizations play incombating youth restiveness? This is the focus of this paper. The paper examines adoption role played byApostle Paul in Philemon 1:10-11 in converting Onesimus a runaway slave of Philemon and proffers suchstrategy as a way of combating youth restiveness in Nigeria. The paper employs the descriptive and historicalcritical methods of biblical exegesis and argues that should Christian families and church organizations consideradoption as exemplified by Apostle Paul on Onesimusexpressly on the youth in the Nigerian society, thusnurturing and admonishing them in the way of Christ, youth restiveness in Nigerian could be abated.

KEY WORD:Adoption, Militancy, Restiveness, Youth,