Stephen Adegbite, Ize-Iyamu, Okokoni Declares: LEADERSHIP IS NOT FOR ALL, BUT LEAD BY EXAMPLE

The Lagos State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Bishop Stephen Adegbite, has called on the church and Christian leaders in Nigeria to remember their humble beginnings and whatever God has made them to be. “You must remember you started from somewhere as nobody. When others are sleeping, you must be reading and must be working for your success in life”, he said.

Bishop Stephen Adegbite made this clarification known as the guest speaker at The United Pentecostal College of Bishops (TUPCB) International Ministers Conference 2025, themed “Leadership By Example”, held at Praise God Christian Chapel, Bariga, Lagos.

“As a Man of God, you don’t wake up in the morning with your robe around your waist, watching Nollywood, Telemundo or knowing the storyline of the next film. That is not what God called you for”, Bishop Adegbite charged.

At leisure, you can watch some, but your focus and concentration must be on what God has called you to do, to be a leader with distinction, he added.

He further said, people say some leaders are born and some are made. “As a human being, you must not be an onlooker and a backbencher but one among others to be recognised in the world. You must play your part and be identified with your name written in gold.”

“Leadership is not for everyone, there are leaders and there are leaders. When your time comes, you will be spotted and recognised”, Adegbite advised.

Bishop Adegbite berated ministers of God who coded and passworded their phones at the detriment of their wives, who have been prevented and warned not to pick up or answer their calls in their absence.

He asked rhetorically, as a man of God, what the problem and the fear are when your wife does not have access to your phone password or is strictly instructed not to pick up your calls in your absence? It shows you are not someone who can be trusted with leadership, and what’s your wife that she cannot take your call in your absence or hold on until you come? Whoever is calling knows you have a wife.

He admonished that leadership is by example, and as leaders, they must learn to teach people always, as Jesus always taught His disciples. “Don’t entrust people into positions of authority because of money. The day that money goes, they’ll become a devil”, he warned.

In his submission, Rev. Esosa David Ize-Iyamu said stated that, Leadership by example is a leadership style and explained that, the secret achievers are marriage counsellors, protocol, the security and other departments workers not celebrated on the pulpit but are making impact, ensuring things goes well and savle marriages including marriages of prominent and visible ministers of God.

“Their names may not be known, but God has a record of secret achievements of what they have done to honour and obey Him secretly. He is going to honour and reward them openly in return”, he said.

Leadership is a process where an individual influences the behaviour and attitudes of others by example. Be open to advances for better understanding, and don’t overlord the people or lead them as if you are a dictator. But intentionally and consistently led by a good example.

Leadership by example demands that instead of relying solely on instructions or commands, you are to demonstrate the conduct, values and work ethic to inspire others.

The Bible provides examples of leaders who set the standard for others to follow. Jesus provided leadership for the apostles, the seventy and the multitude that followed him.

“We need to be sensitive to set the right example. People are watching and, just as we copy role models, a lot of people will also copy us”, he said.

He added, “As believers, we must have some levels of decency. There is the appearance of a madman and a prostitute through their act, and today we are seeing people who are mentally sane but still carry the appearance of a madman”.

“Don’t be impressed with charisma, look for character because it is better to have a small congregation of obedient sons and daughters of God, than to have an all-comers gathering where everyone knows not what they are doing”, Rev. Ize-Iyamu declared.

Speaking on the role of money in leadership, Rev. Esosa Ize-Iyamu said, ”Money is useful and important in life, it’s critical for the work of God, but it’s not everything. If you want to put money as the criteria and condition to do the things of God, you will be moving to be a secular man, and we should not subscribe to the situation of things happening today”.

Meanwhile, the President of TUPCB, Archbishop Sunday Okokoni, said earlier, There are colleges of Bishops that have become enterprises. TUPCB is God’s vision to correct the wrongs and to make known that leadership is by example. “We have three categories of leaders in the church. A leader called by the people, the one who calls themselves for stomach structure, and the one called by God. But, their motives, mission, and goals with their calling and coming into the ministry are different”, Archbishop Okokoni said, and added, “As leaders, we must be in the front, have the mind of following the principle of God and let others follow.”