Sam Adeyemi: Nigeria’s leaders driven by money — but sacrifices must be made

Sam Adeyemi, senior pastor of Daystar Christian Center, says leaders in Nigeria are driven by money.

He spoke on a Channels Television programme on Wednesday while discussing redefining leadership in Nigeria.

Adeyemi said there are institutions that help to build someone into a leader and it starts from the family.

He added that the pressure on families because of the economic hardship is eroding national values.

“The very place character should be built, families, are chasing after what to eat,” he said.

On how collaboration can thrive between ministries, agencies and state governments, Adeyemi said people in leadership have to make sacrifices and have clear visions.

“What drives people in leadership now is money,” he said.

“Nigerians are not foolish, the instinct for survival is the strongest. The people you are asking to collaborate, the only collaboration that makes sense to them is how they make more money.

“All the contracts going out of the MDAs (Ministries, Departments and Agencies), even the oversight functions for the national assembly, it is money driving it.

“That is why vision is very important as a leader. You got to sell that idea, transfer that idea to people’s hearts about where we are going and how we will get there and it’s that where we are going to that will give motivation to people to sacrifice.

“The people in leadership need to make sacrifices now for that collaboration to happen but I promise you most people in leadership now are not thinking sacrifice, they are thinking survival.”

He said most Nigerians want development and that is why the people and the leaders need to develop the country to be like those nations Nigerians are migrating to.

He added that there must be a conversation among Nigerians about where they want Nigeria to be, adding that it must start with dusting the report of the 2014 national conference and implementing some of its recommendations.