Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Church/Mosque-Based Youth Programs has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with attitude towards religious pluralism. This growing interest reflects the recognition that church/mosque-based youth programs does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Enugu State.

Enugu State 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

While church/mosque-based youth programs is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on attitude towards religious pluralism within Enugu State remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to church/mosque-based youth programs are helping or hindering attitude towards religious pluralism — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Church/Mosque-Based Youth Programs on attitude towards religious pluralism in Enugu State.
2. To assess the extent to which church/mosque-based youth programs influences attitude towards religious pluralism within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with church/mosque-based youth programs in relation to attitude towards religious pluralism.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing church/mosque-based youth programs in order to improve attitude towards religious pluralism.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of church/mosque-based youth programs on attitude towards religious pluralism in Enugu State?
2. To what extent does church/mosque-based youth programs influence attitude towards religious pluralism within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with church/mosque-based youth programs in relation to attitude towards religious pluralism?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize church/mosque-based youth programs in order to improve attitude towards religious pluralism?

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 attitude towards religious pluralism. For managers and practitioners within Enugu State, the study provides practical insight into how church/mosque-based youth programs 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

The study is limited to an examination of Church/Mosque-Based Youth Programs and its relationship with attitude towards religious pluralism within the context of Enugu State. It reflects a BSc-level scope of analysis and relies on data and perspectives available within that scope; generalizing the findings beyond this specific context should therefore be done with appropriate caution.