Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Traditional Religious Practices has emerged as a critical factor shaping social cohesion in communities across organizations operating in and around Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how traditional religious practices relates to social cohesion in communities has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite a growing body of literature on traditional religious practices, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with social cohesion in communities, particularly within Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about traditional religious practices without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect social cohesion in communities. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Traditional Religious Practices on social cohesion in communities in Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which traditional religious practices influences social cohesion in communities within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with traditional religious practices in relation to social cohesion in communities.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing traditional religious practices in order to improve social cohesion in communities.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of traditional religious practices on social cohesion in communities in Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does traditional religious practices influence social cohesion in communities within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with traditional religious practices in relation to social cohesion in communities?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize traditional religious practices in order to improve social cohesion in communities?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around social cohesion in communities. For managers and practitioners within Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria, the study provides practical insight into how traditional religious practices can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on religious studies by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this BSc study confines itself to Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria, focusing specifically on how traditional religious practices relates to social cohesion in communities within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.