By Emmanuel Oloniruha
A cleric, Pastor Gabriel Aboderin, has urged leaders at all levels to emulate the sacrificial life of Jesus Christ by sacrificing for the people and the country.
Aboderin, who is the Regional Superintendent, Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Madaiyese Regional Headquarters, Abuja, stated this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) shortly after the CAC Durumi Easter Sunday service in Abuja.
According to him, a life of sacrifice remains one of the major lessons leaders at all levels must learn from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The senior pastor said that anyone aspiring to lead must be ready to pay the cost, which is sacrifice.
“There is a cost to leadership. Before Jesus is reckoned with as our Lord and Saviour, He passed through a lot of things, including losing his own life.
“It’s a pity that we have too many people in leadership position today in Nigeria who are not prepared to pay any cost.
“They think that it is a way of making quick riches and become affluent. Leadership in Nigeria today needs to reconsider what it means to be a leader, that is living a sacrificial life,’’ he said.
Aboderin also advised those aspiring to lead the country at all levels to be ready to pay the price, saying: “Whoever is not ready to pay the price should not aspire to any leadership position in Nigeria.
“Leadership may cost you everything. It may cost you your interest. Where your interest is conflicting with the general interest of the nation, you sacrifice it for the generality of the people,’’ he said.
Aboderin said that leaders must demonstrate to the followers how to be a true and patriotic citizen through their selfless leadership style.
The reginal superintendent also admonished believers to see the resurrection of Christ after three days as an assurance of solution to their problems.
“Every challenge a believer goes through has an expiry date, but it demands sacrifice,” he said.
Aboderin, however, said that the challenges currently facing Nigeria, including rising cost of living and insecurity, required the cooperation and sacrifice of all citizens.
According to him, no nation becomes great without going through challenges, assuring that Nigeria is transiting to a better future.
“To sacrifice for Nigeria may mean that we should be praying for the nation and the government of the day, instead of complaining,’’ he said.
“Whatever we may need to pay to achieve that for ourselves and the coming generation should never be considered too big a sacrifice to make,’’ he said.
Earlier in his sermon entitled: “Resurrection: The Centre of Christian Faith’’, the cleric said that everything about Christianity is centered around the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“Victorious living is possible with the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is pivotal to Christian faith. Without the resurrection, there is no Christian faith.
“However, we are not going to be good Christians if we eliminate sacrifices,’’ Aboderin said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
OBE/WAS
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Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq
