Nigeria’s Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has stressed the need for leaders to remain calm in times of crisis so that people being led can follow in their footsteps.
He also declared that leaders, especially Christians, must at all times act in faith and not fear when faced with existential crisis.
Osinbajo made these known on Saturday in a virtual address at the 25th year anniversary conference of the Redeemer’s International Leadership Academy (RILA) with the theme: “Winning in Adversity,” organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
He said: “It is in times of adversity or difficulty, or hardship that leaders are most relevant and most needed. The leader cannot afford to lose his cool or his focus. He must calm himself down and calm the people down as well.”
According to him, when all is well, there is no need for guidance, encouragement or instruction, but it is especially in the midst of wars, conflicts, insurgency, famines, danger, and fear, that people look to leadership.
Making reference to the story of Moses and the Israelites in the Bible, Osinbajo noted that Moses looked up to God for help and God spoke to Him adding that Moses first gave the people confidence in the power of God to deliver and fulfil His promises.
“He had not yet heard from God on this particular problem, but because he knew the God he served, he was able to say this with confidence,” he added.
The Vice President stressed the need for leaders to remain unruffled because “in adversity, especially where the future looks bleak, people want to give up, retreat, go back and they certainly don’t want to go forward.”
Osinbajo himself an alumnus of the Academy then encouraged leaders, particularly Christian leaders, to act in faith and not fear when they are faced with a crisis, especially existential crisis.
His words, “God knows all things; we must obey in faith even when we are afraid. This is the burden of leadership, especially leadership according to the principles of scripture.”
In attendance at the conference were Assistant Continental Overseer, Research and Development of the RCCG, Pastor A A Bolarinwa; Intercontinental Overseer for Corporate Social Responsibility and Pastor in Charge, RCCG Region 20, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade; and Acting Rector, RILA, Pastor Banky Ladele.
