CAN President harps on Christ-centred leadership at WATS
Rev. Ayokunle delivering his speech at WATS.<br />
The President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle has identified bad leadership as a major challenge facing the country over the years. He noted that leadership failure is responsible for the insecurity and economic pains the country is facing currently.
The CAN president who was a special guest at the West Africa Theological Seminary (WATS) in Lagos, spoke on, “Seminaries, Church And State: In Search Of Christ-centred Leadership.”
According to him, with purposeful leadership at all levels, including in the West Africa Theological Seminary, the society will change for the better.
Ayokunle, who is also Co-chairman, Nigeria Inter-religious Council (NIREC) noted that with determination from all Nigerians that the country will emerge from its current situation to be a progressive and the dream country we all desire.
The NIREC Co-chair noted that WATS graduates are expected to be good ambassadors of Jesus Christ and as such should entrench righteousness in all they do and people they come across.
The CAN President disclosed that God has blessed Nigeria more than any other nation in Africa, adding that the country has the highest number of black people in the world, abundant human and natural resources and cheap labour, which could be harnessed through purposeful leadership.
Ayokunle noted that corruption has become endemic in the country, saying politicians cannot only be blame for this, as the civil servants that should do better are worse than the politicians with the way they extort money from people who interface with them in their offices.
He said: “The situation is a great concern to the church and of course the seminaries because some if not many of the people in politics or the civil service are members of the church. And if we had taught them the right things or lived an exemplary life, why should our members fail to be Christ’s ambassadors in the market place? Why can’t they shine as light in the world? Many church leaders have sold their souls to mammon.
“The church and the seminaries must appraise what they have been doing and the method they have been doing them and be ready to change some of the things that are not working well, so that, those who get to leadership positions from the church and seminaries might be Christ-centred in all they do.”
On monitoring seminary graduates and making them accountable to the church and seminaries, Ayokunle said: “Seminaries, in particular, must be able to withdraw the certificate of any of their old students who is not doing well in leadership position or bring such person back for a refresher course.
“If we leaders live right, it makes it more convenient for us to monitor and discipline those who are not living aright. Our leadership by example principle would make it difficult for our followers to live anyhow. No matter how bad, some of our followers would like to live like us,” he said.
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