Attitude and Preparation of Clergymen Towards Retirement in Ondo State, Nigeria

Retirement among clergymen is a gradual process following years of service. Previous studies indicate that many clergy retirees lack adequate preparation which often leads to anxiety about retirement. This study investigated the attitudes and preparation of Anglican clergymen towards retirement in Ondo State, Nigeria. Two research questions and four hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population comprised 2,350 stipendiary Anglican clergymen in the Ondo ecclesiastical province of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion. Using a multi-stage sampling procedure, 600 clergymen were randomly selected from three dioceses. Data were collected with a self-constructed questionnaire titled Attitude and Preparation of Anglican Clergymen towards Retirement (APCR). The instrument’s validity was established through face, content, and construct measures, while reliability coefficients of 0.86 and 0.75 were obtained using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at the 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that clergymen generally maintained positive attitudes towards retirement, with rural clergymen showing significantly more favorable outlooks than urban counterparts [t(598) = 0.773, p > 0.05]. Age significantly influenced attitudes [F(3,596) = 5.771, p < 0.05], with those aged 60+ demonstrating the most positive outlook. Income level did not significantly affect attitudes [F(2,597) = 1.748, p > 0.05] or retirement preparation [F(2,597) = 0.848, p > 0.05]. The study concluded that Anglican clergymen exhibit positive attitudes and adequate preparation towards retirement. It recommends integrating retirement planning and financial management into clergy training curricula and establishing structured retirement benefit schemes.