The National President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Sampson Ayokunle, has charged Nigerian leaders not to allow themselves to be intimidated by the challenges they meet in office.
Dr. Ayokunle gave the charge at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on Thursday while inaugurating the recently reelected CAN executives in the State.
The national church leader regretted that present day Nigeria leaders in their deceitfulness only amplify times of bad economy for the people to hear, while offering neither the news nor desired services during economic booms.
Speaking on the topic: “The Portrait of a competent Christian leader,” AyokunIe identified leadership failure as organizational failure, insisting that it was not the size of a State’s allocation that determines its development, but the competence of its leader.
Ayokunle identified the portrait of a competent leader to include the ability to repair, serve in utmost integrity, be steward of God and not of self, seeking leadership and not easily giving in to provocation, among others.
According to him, the ability to manage provocation from subjects is an acid test of a leader’s spiritual maturity.
Ayokunle said: “How many of us in leadership can stand and say like Daniel?
“How many of us in leadership can stand like Samuel and say: ‘Examine me?
“One of the banes of Nigeria society today is self business.
“I was hearing those in power saying that the nation is poor now, the economy has gone bad.
“When economy did not go bad, did we see any difference?”
The CAN President, however, extolled Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State for his prudence and ingenuity, which has brought great transformation to the State in spite of its poor federal allocation and urged the inaugurated CAN executives to be stewards of God and not of self.
He noted: “I am aware that the Federal Allocation coming to this State is about the second lowest of all the States in Nigeria.
“Now you have made us to know that it doesn’t depend on the allocation you are getting from government that can lead to transformation of any State.
“It is about the ingenuity of the leader to commit the resources into laudable projects.
“In 1996, I was in this State….
“When I was here in 1996, Abakaliki was a dust.
“The road that we came from Enugu to this place was like a death trap, very bad.
“For me now to come and see a brand new city, I couldn’t believe it.
“I just want to salute the ingenuity of the leader.”
Governor Umahi in his remark described the reelected State CAN Chairman, Very Rev. Father Abraham Nwali, as not only a religious and secular leader, but a man with extraordinary passion for the vulnerable groups in society, adding that he was a source of pride to the State.
Umahi, represented by his Deputy, Kelechi Igwe, while appreciating the National CAN President for visiting the State, urged the newly inaugurated State executives to bear the light of model leadership attributes.
He added that Nigeria would be better when Christian leaders assume the reference point of good leadership.
Nwali in his acceptance speech pledged to work for the unity of the Church in the State, step up the course of evangelism as well as run a transparent, integral, embracive/open door Policy in the administration of the affairs of CAN in the State.
Those inaugurated with Nwali were Rev. Scamb Nwokolo as the Vice chairman, Rev. Donatus Njoku as Secretary, Treasurer Rev. Paul Joseph Philip and the Assistant Secretary, Rev. Joseph Nwibo.
Also inaugurated were the chairmen and members of the various directorates of the Association in the State.
The inauguration, which was attended by the South East CAN Chairman, Bishop Goddy Okafor, and other highly placed dignitaries, was also followed by a courtesy call on the Governor at the Government House, Abakaliki.