A Highlight of Henry Venn’s Innovation in Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Poverty Eradication Programme in Nigeria

Abstract

The processes of impoverishment that mainly underpin poverty are underscored in many critical aspects of deprivation engendered by lack of access to resources for dignified livelihoods (natural, material and financial), health burden precipitated by inadequate access to good health facilities; poor housing and lack of basic services i.e., the basic necessities of life and powerlessness to mention few. More often than not, the aforementioned impinged extensively on the poor because they limit people’s access to income-earning opportunities, basic necessities of life, and resources which ultimately undermined the fulfilment of their civil, socio-political, and economic and resource- use rights. Unfortunately, it is an attempt to forestall this encroachment that Henry Venn, the British Missionary Church co-founder in his “Instruction to Missionaries” presents certain principles that will enhance economic viability and financial independence. This endeavour is a far-reaching Church-based entrepreneurial innovation that is embedded with the potential of curtailing poverty and emancipate the impoverished and the society at large for social and global sustainable development. To this extent, we shall do a rapprochement into Venn’s concept of Church-based entrepreneurship programme in the light of its viability for a sustainable global development. We engaged the tool of historical and analytical method in data analysis. We conclude that, Church-based entrepreneurial enterprise is a viable engagement; and with illustrations from some selected churches on their entrepreneurial activities in Nigeria, it is obvious that Henry Venn’s 18^th century innovation is classic and pivotal to sustainable global development in the 21^st century.

Keywords: Christianity, Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Poverty Eradication