YAHWEH'S INJUNCTION ON WAGES IN DEUTERONOMY 24: 14-15 IN NIGERIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

This paper examines Yahweh's injunction on wages in Deuteronomy 24: 14-15 in the context of wages in Nigeria. After analyzing the text, the study surveyed the various uses of the word wages in the Old Testament and Nigeria. The study explored the issue of minimum and living wages in Nigeria. The method used for the study is historical. It was discovered that as it was in ancient Israel, it is in Nigeria today. Employers of labour in both contexts are involved in economic injustice, as evident by how they exploit their workers. A minimum wage represents the lowest legal remuneration employers can offer their workers, aiming to ensure a basic standard of living. In contrast, a living wage considers the actual cost of living, enabling individuals to meet essential needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare, thereby providing a dignified quality of life. Workers are usually not paid wages commensurate to the nation's economic reality. Many Nigerian workers, particularly in the informal sector, earn below this threshold, exacerbating poverty and economic disparity. This is why strikes or industrial actions have become a recurrent decimal among labour unions in Nigeria today. Church is to advocate for social justice, which includes fair wages and economic equity. The study concludes that adopting a living wage in Nigeria would align with biblical principles of justice and fairness and foster social stability, economic growth, and improved quality of life for workers.