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| Pastor George Olubunmi Babatunde |
The newly inducted District Superintendent of Christ Apostolic Church, Testimony District, Pastor George Olubunmi Babatunde, has challenged the leadership orientation of Nigerian leaders, identified the leadership problems of Nigeria and proposed ways to overcome the menace.
The cleric, in an interview with newsmen at the inauguration of CAC Testimony District and his induction as the pioneer Superintendent, condemned the present leadership structure of Nigeria, describing its leaders as seeking and contesting leadership positions for personal aggrandizement, rather than for service.
Pastor Babatunde, who acknowledged that leadership at every level is challenging, expressed his dissatisfaction at the state of leadership in Nigeria, identified that, "I believe the problem we are having in Nigeria is that, the orientation of politicians to seek office is not of service, but for personal aggrandisement. That is why when somebody wins an election, the next thing is to go and do thanksgiving and throw a party; and people begin to congratulate him. You will see people spending huge amount of money on advertisement in newspaper to congratulate him because they believe that it is their turn to share part of the cake."
The Cleric, who was the former Co-ordinator of CAC Youth Fellowship Akinyele Region, stated that contestants for political offices these days are individuals of questionable character who do not have good track records.
"When it comes to the issue of governance, they come like people who have no conscience and who disregard people. One of them said that the public institutions are not helping matters, that immediately they became senators, some banks are after them to grant them credit up to millions of naira. Some of them easily compromise the standard. That is why instead of having leadership for service, we are having leadership for selfishness and self-aggrandisement. Some of them did all manner of things to get there," he explained.
Proffering solutions to the leadership menace, the cleric, who stated that citizens look out for individual personalities like other climes where people are elected based on individual philosophies and ideologies, also advocated that, "we should look at what the individuals have done in the past; we should look at their pedigree; we should look at people who have good track records, not political parties" at the 2023 elections.
Pastor Babatunde also pointed that politicians should emulate the leadership style and pattern of Jesus, who he described as the perfect example of a good leader, portraying leadership by service.
According to him, "Jesus Christ was a leader. People didn't die for him but He died for His followers. How many leaders are ready to lay down their lives for the comfort of those they are leading? Jesus had empathy. He could easily put Himself in the shoes of others and that is why having taught them for three days, he had compassion on them that they must eat. He used His divine power to provide food for them. Jesus Christ is a kind of leader who was not waiting for people's applause. Even when people wanted to make him king, he objected."
Upon his recent induction as District Superintendent, the minister who stated that leadership must be of service, cited that, "by God's grace, I have occupied some leadership positions in the church of God and everytime I'm appointed or elevated, I take it as an opportunity to solve problems. Someone who wants to become a leader must be ready to lay down his life for his followers."
Pastor Babatunde addressed that, "many people who are not worthy to become king want to become king. Jesus Christ knew what He wanted which is to serve His people. He was a sacrificial kind of leadership. His life did not matter to Him, but the lives of His followers."
"Many of our politicians accumulated wealth for themselves at the detriment of the citizens. That kind of leadership is blind and short sighted. The Lord Jesus sees the future He wants people to see and that is why He always talked about Heaven. He doesn't want anything to block our vision of heaven. Jesus Christ is a leader who wants joy and peace of His people," he summed.