THE need for Nigerian leaders to focus on peace, good governance and social development once again came to the fore on New Year's Eve, when Rev. Chris Oyakhilome, President of the Believers' Loveworld Inc. (aka Christ Embassy) delivered his New Year message the thrust of which was the need for good governance and the socio-economic development of the nation.

Rev. Oyakhilome, fondly referred to as Pastor Chris, noted that Nigerian leaders should embrace peaceful coexistence in the New Year noting that, “At this time, it's important that global recognition should be given to the fact that the peace of a nation directly or indirectly affects other nations as every nation is, to use the sociological expression, other-oriented. If one nation has peace and another one doesn't have, it won't be long before

the one that is at peace loses its peace.” Continuing, he said: “I'm thinking about political leaders around the world, and in this year 2012, it is important that our leaders should realize that leadership must have a willing followership to be complete.”

Additionally, he said: “And except leadership is by consent, it will always fail. You can only lead people who are consenting; otherwise, if you try to lead them by force, it will not work. This is the reason why democratic countries are more peaceful and prosperous than non-democratic societies. It is simple. History bears witness to this because man is a social being that recognizes his social liberty, he yearns for it, he was created to be free, a free moral agent. Every human being has a right to be led by those he chooses to lead him”, the Man of God emphatically stated.

Leadership by consent
In reference to the wave of protests and demonstrations tearing through North Africa and the Middle East, Pastor Chris stressed that “God will not tolerate a situation in which a group of people forces others into submission by which I mean that when you look around the world, you would see different groups who want to wrestle power from others. Power must be given to you by the consent of the people; and you can only have it for a short time. Once they identify your shortcomings, you can't keep it. History bears witness to this. No one can rule another for too long, it will always fail.”
Based on this submission, Pastor Chris counselled world leaders on good governance, stating that leaders must be willing to invest in the societies, because that's the reason for being in office. “If you don't give your best while you are in office, you will be pained when you are out and, as we all know, no one can be in office forever. When you are out you will see all that you could have done that you didn't do and that will be the pain that will linger for a very long time. And in every society, as we look around the world, there's more hunger than ever before and yet there is more food. There's more poverty than ever before and yet there's more money in the world. There is a lot more. Why are so many suffering? Why are so many in pain and penury? The answer is simple, wrong ideas, wrong policies, and wrong decisions.”
“Every leader,” he posited, “needs an understanding of the Bible; the word of God. This is the book that gives information on success and failure. The word of God gives us insight into the lives of most successful men and why they were successful and also let us know about those who failed and why they failed and counsel us and give us light. Every wise leader should be a student of the Bible.
“If we build our societies, we will become the beneficiaries, if we wreck our societies, we will become the victims. The choice is simple then: to build our societies.”

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Social responsibility
Admonishing the captains of industries, Pastor Chris called on them to be involved in the building of their society. “It is the responsibility of all. Government is only a voice of the people. Government cannot do everything. Government's responsibility is to provide enabling environment. But the actual work is to be done by the people, and that is why I call on, and encourage, leaders, business leaders, leaders of commerce and industry that it's high time you woke again.”

Coming back to the continent, he noted that many nations in Africa are in dire need of help. And that the reason for the poverty in Africa “is not the Gross Domestic Product (GDP); it is the GMA (Gross Mental Attitude).” The Gross Mental Attitude in various nations in Africa is low. The reason is simple, poor education; so I am calling on the leaders to invest in education. If you invest in education you will be investing in the future of our children and therefore in the future of our nation and the nations all around Africa and of course the rest of the world. Invest in education,” he charged.

Ascribing the source of wisdom to God, Pastor Chris discountenanced the growing alarm over the looming global financial crisis, advising that world leaders, “must make the right decisions in this 2012.” According to him, “I heard many saying the re's so much gloom and doom in the financial world, but I say this to you, It is not exactly true. It is not exactly so that the financial world must collapse. It can only collapse on those who do not prepare for it. The failures of the world today are linked to lack of preparation yesterday. Today we must take the right decisions, but not the decisions that are created by calculators.”

Continuing, he noted that “Prosperity has never been based on calculations. Prosperity has never been based on subjects learnt in the four walls of the classroom. Prosperity has always been based on wisdom. The problem then and the challenge before us will be, where is the source of wisdom?”

@Mabel , watch this prediction.

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Part 2: Social responsibility

Admonishing the captains of industries, Pastor Chris called on them to be involved in the building of their society. “It is the responsibility of all. Government is only a voice of the people. Government cannot do everything. Government's responsibility is to provide enabling environment. But the actual work is to be done by the people, and that is why I call on, and encourage, leaders, business leaders, leaders of commerce and industry that it's high time you woke again.”

Coming back to the continent, he noted that many nations in Africa are in dire need of help. And that the reason for the poverty in Africa “is not the Gross Domestic Product (GDP); it is the GMA (Gross Mental Attitude).” The Gross Mental Attitude in various nations in Africa is low. The reason is simple, poor education; so I am calling on the leaders to invest in education. If you invest in education you will be investing in the future of our children and therefore in the future of our nation and the nations all around Africa and of course the rest of the world. Invest in education,” he charged.

Ascribing the source of wisdom to God, Pastor Chris discountenanced the growing alarm over the looming global financial crisis, advising that world leaders, “must make the right decisions in this 2012.” According to him, “I heard many saying the re's so much gloom and doom in the financial world, but I say this to you, It is not exactly true. It is not exactly so that the financial world must collapse. It can only collapse on those who do not prepare for it. The failures of the world today are linked to lack of preparation yesterday. Today we must take the right decisions, but not the decisions that are created by calculators.”

Continuing, he noted that “Prosperity has never been based on calculations. Prosperity has never been based on subjects learnt in the four walls of the classroom. Prosperity has always been based on wisdom. The problem then and the challenge before us will be, where is the source of wisdom

The poor
Remembering the needy, Pastor Chris challenged Christians as well as members of his ministry to concentrate on helping the poor. “I call on you in 2012 to render a helping hand to those in need. We are doing a lot as a ministry, we are committed to helping and we are partnering more all around the world and this partnership has helped us to see to the lifting of the down-trodden, helping the poor and the afflicted, clothing the naked, giving shelter to those without homes, feeding the poor, and all these we have done but there's much more to be done and if everyone of us will do a little, we can all do a lot.”

He also called for support for the security agencies, saying they deserved prayers. “Let us remember those who serve our country; the Army, the Police, they require our support; they do so much for us every day and put their lives on the line all the time. Let us remember those who serve like this and render a helping hand to our society.”