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| Pastor Bunmi Babatunde |
‘Gbenga Bankole
The Regional Coordinator of Christ Apostolic Church Youth Fellowship (CACYOF) Akinyele Region, Pastor Bunmi Babatunde has declared his intention to set a tone and establish an enduring structure for the region and also prove to all and sundry that selfless service to God and humanity for him and executives members of the region, is sacrosanct.
Pastor Babatunde stated this yesterday Monday November 19, 2018 while delivering a paper on the topic “My vision for Success and Succession in Akinyele Region Youth Fellowship” at the “First Strategic Executives Retreat” organized by the CACYOF Akinyele Region for her executives members holding at The Living Word Camp, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
Contrary to what some might envisage, according to him, they do not see their emergence as an exulting victory, but an intimidating burden, first, to prove their love to God whom they have served consistently selflessly on this platform.
He noted that the quality of youths in Akinyele Region, Lagos State, a highly populated metropolis and Ogun State containing arguably, the largest number of higher institutions in the country, has resulted in the comparatively sophistication of our youths.
“Lagos & Ogun boast of over 30 tertiary institutions. All churches, denominations, ministries practically have their Headquarters or branches in Lagos. And Lagos is the home of Mega churches in Nigeria, nay Africa and globally influential Televangelists and high impact ministries. Industries: Lagos and Ogun states contain most of the blue chip Multi-national companies in Nigeria; the two largest ports, headquarters of telecommunication industries, oil & gas entrepreneurship. Most banks in Nigeria, if not all have their headquarters in Lagos etc.”
“Though Lagos is regarded as the commercial capital of Nigeria, all embassies in Nigeria are represented here. With this sophistication and metropolitan nature of our Region, we cannot afford a half measure approach concerning the affairs of our youths, who are exposed to the attendant social, political, spiritual and economical activities. Every year, we constantly ferry some 12 thousand youths from over 700 districts, and over 120 DCCs/Zones from our Region to Ikeji in Osun State for the youth conference, a distance of about 300 kilometers. Obviously a close proximity would have conveniently raised the figure to some 20 thousand youths if well mobilized. My effort at scantily itemizing the aforementioned statistics is to periscope the magnitude of challenges we are up against, so that we can robustly proffer solutions conscientiously and comprehensively,” he explained.
Pastor Babatunde disclosed that the 14 Working Committees that would hopefully address the areas of critical needs of the fellowship are Finance, Fund-Raising & Budget Committee, Programmes Planning & Implementation Committee, Publicity & Public Relations Committee, Evangelism & Missions Committee, Children & Teenagers Committee and Capacity Building & Development Committee.
Others are Prayer & Intercession Committee, Campus Fellowship Development Committee, Sports & Psychomotor Development Committee, Security & Ushering Committee, Media & Database Management Committee, Special Duties Committee, Music Ministry Committee and Sisters’ Fellowship Development Committee.
According to him, the Regional Executive Committee and its extension of Working Committees and the Centre leaders shall form a broad decision making committee of the fellowship.
He further stated that; “the erstwhile States have had the nomenclature changed to Centres by the Youth Office in Ibadan. It should be the next level below the Regional Executive. There shall be a Council Forum which will consist of the Regional Executives, the Committee Heads, the Centre Coordinators, Unit Coordinators and DCC/Zonal Coordinators. The Congress shall constitute number 3 above and District Coordinators.”
The Cleric said the many edifying and needs meeting programmes for the youths should run at different times and periods, adding that there shall be Short-term, Mid-term and Long-term programmes in the year 2019.
While commenting on succession plan, Pastor Babatunde said “we must admit that the shocking furor generated before our appointment is normal with inherent human impulses; though, an anathema by the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Matt.20:21-25). We should deduce nonetheless, some elements for consideration. The lack of necessary structures in the youth fellowship hitherto, had stagnated leadership growth and succession process in all cadre of the fellowship. Conscious effort must be paid to selection and appointment of our leaders in the youth fellowship to allow for natural evolution of burgeoning future leaders. We should consciously monitor and approve only youths who have had some tutelage (tuule) in youth matters, and with proven records shall be considered from the level of Zonal/DCC leadership, and more strictly, Unit, Centre Regional levels.”