The General Overseer, Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Sam Aboyeji, has called on the federal government and other stakeholders to prioritise sustainable infrastructure, strong institutions and value-driven leadership as foundations for national development.

Aboyeji, who spoke yesterday in Lagos at the church’s 13th annual public lecture, as part of activities marking its 71st Annual Convention, noted that Nigeria’s abundant human and natural resources can only translate into lasting prosperity through visionary leadership, competence, integrity and deliberate investment in infrastructure.

Also, the chairman of the occasion and former Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, urged political leaders and citizens to rethink how they measure development, warning that excessive focus on short-term political gains could undermine Nigeria’s long-term prosperity.

Reflecting on the theme, “Building to Last: Faith, Infrastructure and the Future of a Nation,” he warned that national development should not be reduced to the construction of roads, bridges, railways, airports, schools and hospitals.

According to him, sustainable development requires people and institutions capable of maintaining infrastructure, strengthening governance and creating opportunities for future generations.

The cleric stressed the need to deliberately prepare the next generation of leaders, as “success without a successor is failure.” Consequently, he charged Nigerians to “raise the foundations of many generations,” adding that rebuilding the country requires collective action and commitment to restore infrastructure for the benefit of future generations.