TheCable

Sam Adeyemi, senior pastor, Daystar Christian Centre, Lagos, has charged young persons to acquire skills that will make them displace “failed leaders”.

Speaking at the annual leadership conference of the church, Adeyemi said governments at all levels to be deliberate and conscious about developing leaders with selfless service to the nation.

He said the development in Nigeria is slow because its leaders are self-centred most of the time, adding that no nation can progress without selfless leadership and sincere followers.

“Leadership is a product of followership. A society gets the kind of leadership it desires. Our government must make conscious efforts in developing leadership potential in our younger generation,” he said.

“In Nigeria today, there is no leadership school where practical tenets of quality leadership is taught. Leaders emerged from our failed political structures and we cannot continue like that as a nation.

“To the younger generation, you need to acquire leadership skills fast. This will afford you to displace failed leaders ahead of you and secure a better future for our nation. It is possible and God is counting on you to step in.”

Adeyemi said there is no correlation between the numbers of religious organisations in Nigeria and impacts in the society.

“It is time for us as a people to query our beliefs in God. If you believe in God, ultimately where it’s supposed to show is in your relationship with other human beings. You must treat your fellow human beings well as commanded by God,” he said.

During the conference

He said the emphasis globally now is on leadership not position, adding that leadership happens at all levels.

“The leadership issues in Nigeria have to be addressed comprehensively. How many leadership schools do we have in Nigeria?” he asked.

“How deliberate is our government in securing the future? Where is the leadership as a subject in our schools’ curriculum? Our government must rise up and rejig our current school systems. Somethings have to give way if we must play among the comity of nations.”

Great leadership, according to him, lies on character and competence which he said is lacking in our current set of leaders.