WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?
The subject of leadership is a broad subject. Many authors have defined leadership is many different ways.
John C Maxwell defines leadership as influence and leadership impact increases as the influence increases. It is not influence due to position but influence that is earned because the leader cares. Leaders use their influence to add value to lives and not to manipulate people to achieve a selfish interest.
Genuine influence demands heavy responsibility from the leader because people must follow from their heart and not forced or manipulate to follow.
Dr David Oyedepo defines leadership as taking the lead in meeting the need of people. It is all about making your contribution in your area of calling. Leadership is setting the pace and showing the way.
Dr Myles Munroe defines Leadership as the capacity to influence others through inspiration motivated by passion, generated by a vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose.
Dag Heward-Mills defines leadership as a calling into a specific assignment. If you are called into ministry, you are a leader as a minister.
Many are called into leadership, but only few end up as leaders because others are not prepared to pay the price of leadership.
From all the definitions above, we can deduce that leadership is influence, taking the lead in your area of calling, inspiring and imparting vision unto other.
THE SPIRIT OF LEADERSHIP
Dr. Myles Munroe made a distinction between leadership spirit and the spirit of leadership.
Leadership spirit is what Kenneth E. Hagin called the spirit within. This is the seed of dominion planted in every man at creation. It is what makes man a spirit. Every man has leadership spirit.
The spirit of leadership on the other hand is called the spirit upon by Kenneth E. Hagin. It is the Spirit of God that comes upon a man and makes him fulfill destiny. Until man is endured with this spirit he cannot manifest his leadership destiny.
Dr Myles Munro also made us understand that our spirit is a leadership spirit. God made it so from the beginning when he gave man dominion over the earth, but our leadership can only manifest when we begin to operate in the spirit of leadership.
The spirit of leadership is the inspiration that connect us to the wisdom bank. It is not enough to have the leadership spirit( that is born with the leadership potential); we must strive and commit ourselves to the demand of leadership and by this we will surely manifest the spirit of leadership.
Many have leadership spirit by virtue of creation, but only few carry the spirit of leadership.
Leadership is not a technique, a style, or acquisition of skills but a manifestation of a spirit. This statement has impacted greatly on my life. Leadership is not a course you go to study in the university; it is not a style you copy from someone, or a skill you go to acquire from a workshop.
You don’t need to go to a school of leadership to become a leader; or copy a style of leadership to be a leader. Leadership is not even occupying a position of authority. Leadership is not a physical entity. It has a spirit connection.
It is the spirit of leadership that guarantees the flow of inspiration, and the flow of inspiration enables leaders to operate at the frequency of manifold wisdom.
A true leader enjoys inspiration because he has the Spirit of God constantly interacting with his human spirit.
Today so many people pose as leaders because they occupy a position of leadership but they are far from being leaders. Because you win an election does not qualifies you to be a leader, that you rose through the ranks to become the CEO of your organization is not enough to make you a leader. When people without the spirit of leadership assume the position of leadership, they abuse the office and create more problems.
Every man has a spirit but not every man has the Holy Spirit, therefore not every man can become a leader, his occupying a position of leadership notwithstanding.
Dr Oyedepo often says, a leading lawyer leads in Law, a leading academia leads in academics, and a leading preacher leads in preaching. You don’t find a leading lawyer leading in medicine. You can only lead in your area of assignment.
You can only become a leader where you are sent to make contribution in life. There is a driving energy that drives you along the path of your calling. This driving energy is the spirit of leadership.
A LEADER WITH VISION
Every leader has a vision with which he is driven along his path of fulfillment. This vision is of God and it takes the baptism of the spirit of leadership to receive divine vision.
Hab 2:1-3
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make [it] plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision [is] yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Dr David Oyedepo defines vision as the unfolding of divine plan. To access divine plan you must be ready to take responsibility of approaching God to know the mind of Christ concerning divine plan for your life.
It is your vision that defines your area of calling. It is your vision that defines your purpose in life. That is why every genuine leader is sure of his area of calling and he leads the people in the direction of that area.
There is a spirit in a leader and the inspiration of the almighty serve as the compass for his vision to lead him along the path of his leadership destiny.
Leadership is first a calling and if you are called to be a leader you must strive to take the lead and set the pace in that area of your calling.
You don’t emerge as leader where you are not called and it takes a vision to locate where you are called.
LEADERSHIP AND RIGHT ATTITUDE
There is a saying that our attitude determines our altitude in life.
There are many people that are in the position of leadership today that are not carrying the attitude of heart that goes along with leadership.
It is the attitude of the leader that makes him command the respect of his followers. Show me a leader and I will show you a man of right attitude.
Leaders are known for the kind of hearts they carry. Leaders are known to have hearts for the people. They get angry when they see people suffering. They are ready to go the extra miles to see a change in people lives. That is why leaders are agents of change.
The spirit of leadership in Moses first manifested when he saw an Egyptian molesting an Israelite. He never knew when he laid his hand on the Egyptian. His calling was to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt and the spirit was leading him towards his area of calling.
It is the spirit of leadership that makes leadership more of attitude of the heart than just a mere art to be mastered and displayed at will.
When leaders lead by inspiration, they command the respect of their followers. Visionary leadership rides on the wings of inspiration.
In conclusion, see yourself as a potential leader and be ready to pay the required price for leadership. Let the spirit of God be your guide and impact you with the vision of your purpose in life. This will make you a true leader indeed.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
STEPPING INTO LEADERSHIP FROM THE CROWD
INTRODCTION
The world is a pyramid, the bottom is very large, but the top is too narrow. The bottom is for the crowd, while the top is for the leaders. The bottom is a place of struggle for survival, while the top is a place of strength for living. You don’t need to struggle at the top you only need strength to stay and remain there.
The top is free but only few people get there. Why not be in the company of the few that get to the top. The higher you go the cooler it becomes. The heat is much at the base. The base is for the crowd; only leaders get to the top.
No leader was born at the top, even Jesus the world greatest leader stated from the manger. David the world most blessed king, was picked from the sheepfold. Mother Theresa was not born in the palace. You don’t have to be born with silver spoon in your mouth to become a leader. It is not hereditary. You can choose to leave the bottom of the pyramid if you so wish.
The chance of breaking through at the bottom of the pyramid is too remote. It is like forcing a snail to run in the Olympics.
It is interesting to know that many leaders started as members of the crowd, but one day they made decisions and took steps that eventually paved their way to the top. The top is not the exclusive right of the privileged few. You can walk your way to the top from the crowd. It is not by wishing, it is not by luck, it is by conscious, deliberate and strategic approach.
There are too many people who are life member of the crowd. They have no purpose for living and no direction in life. They lack vision to see the future. They are multitude with no sense of mission. They end up frustrated and die common with nothing attributed to their names. These crowd members are everywhere in every nation and they are in the majority.
The people in the crowd are too common and hence they have little or no value. Some of them that work so hard earn little because they generate little value. There is no much value in the crowd; that is why they hire them for peanut. If you must generate value, you must leave the crowd. You must strive for excellence in whatever you do. This is the only way to the top.
THE JOURNEY TO LEADERSHIP
The journey to leadership begins with a discovery of God ordained purpose. No manufacture created a product before thinking of the purpose the product will serve. He decides the purpose in his mind before going to the drawing board to design it. God drew out the plan for our lives; went to the drawing board to design us before deciding the parents through which he arrived on earth. Even our parents did not have a say in our designs. They were only privilege to serve as the vehicle that drives us into the earth.
When you discover your area of calling and you pour your passion into it, and you consciously locate a credible leader to mentor you in your area of calling, you are on your way to becoming another credible leader. It is your desire to lead in your area of calling that makes you enroll as a protégé in the school of leadership under a credible leader. Every credible leader today was once a follower and protégé of another credible leader.
It takes a leader to produce another leader. My choice of the word “credible leader” is deliberate, because there are many self-acclaimed leaders who are not worthy to be called leaders because they lack vision they only find themselves in the position of leadership either by selection or by manipulation. It takes a well defined vision and sense of purpose to lead and lead well.
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
Every credible leader is a visionary leader. He sees ahead of others and then takes the lead in showing the way. His judgment is respected because he is credible.
Visionary Leadership begins with Discipleship. If you are not humble enough to be disciple by a leader, you will not be qualified to become a leader. If you assume leadership position without going through discipleship training, you will only become a leader with thugs and hooligans as followers. Thugs and hooligans don’t need any training; only genuine followers need discipleship training. Thugs and hooligans are mad dogs waiting for stupid instruction to carry out. They live for what they can get. They cannot think. People that use them never wish their children become thugs and hooligans.
A good leader invests heavily on training. If you want genuine people to follow your leadership, you too must be ready to invest in their lives. Those you invest in their live will willingly follow you until they also grow to become a leader and continue to remain under your leadership oversight. There is no genuine leader that does not have a leader ahead of him, and until you enroll to be a disciple of a leader you cannot become a leader.
JESUS CHRIST THE GREATEST LEADER
Jesus followed God as his leader. He was disciple by God. He was a protégé of God. He followed His instruction to the letter; he later became a leader and also raised twelve disciples who later became leaders of the gospel (John 17:4, 6a, 18). Jesus had a visionary leader ahead of him (God) and he too became a visionary leader and he too went ahead to made other visionary leaders (the twelve disciples). This is visionary leadership circle.
To become a leader identify a credible leader to follow and grow under his discipleship. In no distant time you too will become a credible leader with many followers. As a follower, you are called to serve and your reward is honour (John 12:26).
STEPPING OUT OF THE CROWD
Jesus was born among the crowd. There was no money to even rent a room in the inn. He came from the bottom of the bottom. He started his life among the crowd. At age twelve he made a decision never to remain in the crowd, and for eighteen solid years he consciously enrolled in the school of discipleship, first with the lawyers of his days and latter in his father carpenter’s shed: At age twelve, Jesus stayed back in the temple to learn at the feet of the renowned lawyers of his days; hearing them speak and asking them relevant questions (Luke 2:46-47). These lawyers were amazed at his high level of understanding. Later he was under the carpentry apprenticeship in his father’s shed; he learnt carpentry until the people stop calling him ‘the son of the carpenter’ (Matt 13:55) into being called ‘the carpenter’ (Mark 6:3). If Jesus the son of the most high could invest eighteen years of his early in the school of discipleship to prepare for his three and half years mission on earth, who are you not to invest the early productive part of your life in order to secure a glorious future.
The lack of discipleship of many youths is the reason for shortage of leadership today. We have more youths in the crowd and only very few at the top.
WHO IS A LEADER?
A leader inspires from the word of God and educates his followers through a discipleship training programme and these followers become empowered until they also enter into their leadership destiny. According to Dr David Oyedepo, the chancellor of Covenant University, a leader is someone who takes the lead, and set the pace for other to follow. There are many people are endowed with this leadership assignment by destiny.
THE PARENTS
Parents are leaders; they are the first leader a child encounters. It is the responsibility of parents to disciple their children. It takes a discipled parent to effectively disciple a child. Today we have many parents who never went through parental discipleship and yet are rearing children. They assumed the role of parenting because circumstances beyond them, has forced them into parenting. There are many parents who had never read a single book on parenting or attended any seminar on parenting. Many parents make the mistake of thinking that adequate provision can substitute for child’s home training. They labour to provide for their children; all the essentials but are not always there for them. These children end up receiving training from strangers and end up becoming strangers to their parents. When parents put their wards under the care of uncultured and untrained house-help, what do they expect? There are many homes where their children have fallen victims of the negative habits of their uncultured house helps. Today we hear of even male drives abusing innocent baby girls because the parents put the child in their cares to take to school.
THE TEACHERS
Teachers are leaders and teaching profession has suffered in the hands of those who are not called to be a teacher but find themselves in the profession for the sake of survival. Although they went through schools to received teaching certificates, unfortunately they were not patient enough to submit to the discipleship of older and experienced teachers. By the time a teacher is demanding gratification in cash and kind from the students before doing his job, what do you expect under that school atmosphere? We all know that this is the plight of our public schools. There are more cheaters than teachers, who will rather use the school time to run their private businesses. This evil is more pronounced in our higher institutions. Society is the reflection of her school systems. Since secret cults activities have become a norm in most of our institutions, our society is plagued with the increase in the activities of ritual killers and all forms of gangsterisim and hooliganism.
THE POLITICIANS
It is wrong to assume that every political office holder is a leader. Many politicians have done more harm than good. They kill there people with the help of the thugs and hooligans they have raised among the crowd. They embezzled public funds to enrich themselves and their family members. They betray the trust repose on them by their people. They don’t have the interest of the people in their heart. They use the machinery of power to perpetrate their evil. Despite these evil reports about some of our politicians, there are still few of them that believe in the good of their country and they stand for the truth. These are the true leaders and we pray for more of them will be raised among our youths.
CONCLUSION
The crowd is not where we belong although many of us stated from there. A journey from the crowd into leadership begins with a conscious enrollment in the school of Discipleship under a credible leader. We must locate these credible leaders and enroll as protégé under their leadership.
A visionary leader helps you discover your purpose through vision that he impacts unto you each time you are privilege to hear him speak. As you enroll in the school of discipleship under a visionary leader and you follow him faithfully, you will soon become an enviable and visionary leader. Elisha located Elijah and enrolled under his discipleship and follow faithfully. Despite the mocking of other sons of prophets Elisha followed until he received the double portion of the anointing that was upon Elijah.
A visionary parent must have vision of the type of children he wants to raise, a visionary teacher must have a vision of the type of graduates he wants to produce and a visionary politician must have a vision of the type of society he desire to have.
It is only by this we can have a Godly society where only things of value will be celerated and promoted.
The world is a pyramid, the bottom is very large, but the top is too narrow. The bottom is for the crowd, while the top is for the leaders. The bottom is a place of struggle for survival, while the top is a place of strength for living. You don’t need to struggle at the top you only need strength to stay and remain there.
The top is free but only few people get there. Why not be in the company of the few that get to the top. The higher you go the cooler it becomes. The heat is much at the base. The base is for the crowd; only leaders get to the top.
No leader was born at the top, even Jesus the world greatest leader stated from the manger. David the world most blessed king, was picked from the sheepfold. Mother Theresa was not born in the palace. You don’t have to be born with silver spoon in your mouth to become a leader. It is not hereditary. You can choose to leave the bottom of the pyramid if you so wish.
The chance of breaking through at the bottom of the pyramid is too remote. It is like forcing a snail to run in the Olympics.
It is interesting to know that many leaders started as members of the crowd, but one day they made decisions and took steps that eventually paved their way to the top. The top is not the exclusive right of the privileged few. You can walk your way to the top from the crowd. It is not by wishing, it is not by luck, it is by conscious, deliberate and strategic approach.
There are too many people who are life member of the crowd. They have no purpose for living and no direction in life. They lack vision to see the future. They are multitude with no sense of mission. They end up frustrated and die common with nothing attributed to their names. These crowd members are everywhere in every nation and they are in the majority.
The people in the crowd are too common and hence they have little or no value. Some of them that work so hard earn little because they generate little value. There is no much value in the crowd; that is why they hire them for peanut. If you must generate value, you must leave the crowd. You must strive for excellence in whatever you do. This is the only way to the top.
THE JOURNEY TO LEADERSHIP
The journey to leadership begins with a discovery of God ordained purpose. No manufacture created a product before thinking of the purpose the product will serve. He decides the purpose in his mind before going to the drawing board to design it. God drew out the plan for our lives; went to the drawing board to design us before deciding the parents through which he arrived on earth. Even our parents did not have a say in our designs. They were only privilege to serve as the vehicle that drives us into the earth.
When you discover your area of calling and you pour your passion into it, and you consciously locate a credible leader to mentor you in your area of calling, you are on your way to becoming another credible leader. It is your desire to lead in your area of calling that makes you enroll as a protégé in the school of leadership under a credible leader. Every credible leader today was once a follower and protégé of another credible leader.
It takes a leader to produce another leader. My choice of the word “credible leader” is deliberate, because there are many self-acclaimed leaders who are not worthy to be called leaders because they lack vision they only find themselves in the position of leadership either by selection or by manipulation. It takes a well defined vision and sense of purpose to lead and lead well.
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
Every credible leader is a visionary leader. He sees ahead of others and then takes the lead in showing the way. His judgment is respected because he is credible.
Visionary Leadership begins with Discipleship. If you are not humble enough to be disciple by a leader, you will not be qualified to become a leader. If you assume leadership position without going through discipleship training, you will only become a leader with thugs and hooligans as followers. Thugs and hooligans don’t need any training; only genuine followers need discipleship training. Thugs and hooligans are mad dogs waiting for stupid instruction to carry out. They live for what they can get. They cannot think. People that use them never wish their children become thugs and hooligans.
A good leader invests heavily on training. If you want genuine people to follow your leadership, you too must be ready to invest in their lives. Those you invest in their live will willingly follow you until they also grow to become a leader and continue to remain under your leadership oversight. There is no genuine leader that does not have a leader ahead of him, and until you enroll to be a disciple of a leader you cannot become a leader.
JESUS CHRIST THE GREATEST LEADER
Jesus followed God as his leader. He was disciple by God. He was a protégé of God. He followed His instruction to the letter; he later became a leader and also raised twelve disciples who later became leaders of the gospel (John 17:4, 6a, 18). Jesus had a visionary leader ahead of him (God) and he too became a visionary leader and he too went ahead to made other visionary leaders (the twelve disciples). This is visionary leadership circle.
To become a leader identify a credible leader to follow and grow under his discipleship. In no distant time you too will become a credible leader with many followers. As a follower, you are called to serve and your reward is honour (John 12:26).
STEPPING OUT OF THE CROWD
Jesus was born among the crowd. There was no money to even rent a room in the inn. He came from the bottom of the bottom. He started his life among the crowd. At age twelve he made a decision never to remain in the crowd, and for eighteen solid years he consciously enrolled in the school of discipleship, first with the lawyers of his days and latter in his father carpenter’s shed: At age twelve, Jesus stayed back in the temple to learn at the feet of the renowned lawyers of his days; hearing them speak and asking them relevant questions (Luke 2:46-47). These lawyers were amazed at his high level of understanding. Later he was under the carpentry apprenticeship in his father’s shed; he learnt carpentry until the people stop calling him ‘the son of the carpenter’ (Matt 13:55) into being called ‘the carpenter’ (Mark 6:3). If Jesus the son of the most high could invest eighteen years of his early in the school of discipleship to prepare for his three and half years mission on earth, who are you not to invest the early productive part of your life in order to secure a glorious future.
The lack of discipleship of many youths is the reason for shortage of leadership today. We have more youths in the crowd and only very few at the top.
WHO IS A LEADER?
A leader inspires from the word of God and educates his followers through a discipleship training programme and these followers become empowered until they also enter into their leadership destiny. According to Dr David Oyedepo, the chancellor of Covenant University, a leader is someone who takes the lead, and set the pace for other to follow. There are many people are endowed with this leadership assignment by destiny.
THE PARENTS
Parents are leaders; they are the first leader a child encounters. It is the responsibility of parents to disciple their children. It takes a discipled parent to effectively disciple a child. Today we have many parents who never went through parental discipleship and yet are rearing children. They assumed the role of parenting because circumstances beyond them, has forced them into parenting. There are many parents who had never read a single book on parenting or attended any seminar on parenting. Many parents make the mistake of thinking that adequate provision can substitute for child’s home training. They labour to provide for their children; all the essentials but are not always there for them. These children end up receiving training from strangers and end up becoming strangers to their parents. When parents put their wards under the care of uncultured and untrained house-help, what do they expect? There are many homes where their children have fallen victims of the negative habits of their uncultured house helps. Today we hear of even male drives abusing innocent baby girls because the parents put the child in their cares to take to school.
THE TEACHERS
Teachers are leaders and teaching profession has suffered in the hands of those who are not called to be a teacher but find themselves in the profession for the sake of survival. Although they went through schools to received teaching certificates, unfortunately they were not patient enough to submit to the discipleship of older and experienced teachers. By the time a teacher is demanding gratification in cash and kind from the students before doing his job, what do you expect under that school atmosphere? We all know that this is the plight of our public schools. There are more cheaters than teachers, who will rather use the school time to run their private businesses. This evil is more pronounced in our higher institutions. Society is the reflection of her school systems. Since secret cults activities have become a norm in most of our institutions, our society is plagued with the increase in the activities of ritual killers and all forms of gangsterisim and hooliganism.
THE POLITICIANS
It is wrong to assume that every political office holder is a leader. Many politicians have done more harm than good. They kill there people with the help of the thugs and hooligans they have raised among the crowd. They embezzled public funds to enrich themselves and their family members. They betray the trust repose on them by their people. They don’t have the interest of the people in their heart. They use the machinery of power to perpetrate their evil. Despite these evil reports about some of our politicians, there are still few of them that believe in the good of their country and they stand for the truth. These are the true leaders and we pray for more of them will be raised among our youths.
CONCLUSION
The crowd is not where we belong although many of us stated from there. A journey from the crowd into leadership begins with a conscious enrollment in the school of Discipleship under a credible leader. We must locate these credible leaders and enroll as protégé under their leadership.
A visionary leader helps you discover your purpose through vision that he impacts unto you each time you are privilege to hear him speak. As you enroll in the school of discipleship under a visionary leader and you follow him faithfully, you will soon become an enviable and visionary leader. Elisha located Elijah and enrolled under his discipleship and follow faithfully. Despite the mocking of other sons of prophets Elisha followed until he received the double portion of the anointing that was upon Elijah.
A visionary parent must have vision of the type of children he wants to raise, a visionary teacher must have a vision of the type of graduates he wants to produce and a visionary politician must have a vision of the type of society he desire to have.
It is only by this we can have a Godly society where only things of value will be celerated and promoted.
RAISING PRODUCTS OF VALUE
Preamble
The biggest challenge of our nation is the breakdown of societal values. With our eyes wide open, we see family values been shattered; there is high rate of divorce, and the number of single parenthood is on the increase. It is no more news to see public office holders looting the treasury of State. Moral value is constantly under threat and our media houses are the principal culprits, through all kinds of ungodly musical video presentations.
The breakdown of family values is the reason for the woes of our society. One major area that has suffered as a result of this breakdown is our socio-political life. Education a vehicle for social change is plagued with the evil of examination malpractices, sexual pervasion and cultism, the political system is equally plagued with corrupt electoral process that cannot produce credible election. The resultant effect is the emergence of leaders with weak character. The increasing number of rogues in the corridor of power is unprecedented in the history of our political history.
For a new generation of leaders to emerge, there must be a restoration of our value system. The restoration of our value system is then reason foe the birth of Covenant University Core Values. Covenant University is set up to raise a new generation of leaders, men and women who will live under Godly oath to deliver values to their generation. By the time we have more products of Covenant University living by these core values, in no time, we shall have a restoration of our lost values.
The Core Value of Covenant University
There are seven Core Values designed by God to guide the process of raising new generation of leaders in Covenant University. These values:
1. Spirituality
2. Possibility Mentality
3. Capacity Building
4. Integrity
5. Diligence
6. Responsibility
7. Sacrifice
Spirituality
Spirituality is the number one core values. The reason for this is that it has been proved in history that spirituality is the mirth behind world great inventions. It was after the spiritual awakening in America and Great Britain that we begin to witness the emergence of great inventors. There is no doubt that these inventors were mostly products of this spiritual awakening. Spirituality should not be mistaking for religiosity. Spirituality is our only connection with God. It takes spirituality to manifest our full potential and live our life to its fullness. With spirituality, purpose is easily pursued to fulfillment. When we seek God first we become the first in all things. It is lack of spirituality that will make a leader to live without the fear and consciousness of God. With spirituality core values, Covenant University products will indeed become the desirable leaders our dear nation having longing to have.
Possibility Mentality
It is possibility mentality that enables a man to believe that with God all things are possible. We can live a debt free life with possibility mentality; It is lack possibility mentality in leadership that keep Nigeria in perpetual darkness despite the volume of money spent on our energy sector. It is possibility mentality of our Chancellor, Dr David Oyedepo that makes the building of Faith Tabernacle and Covenant University a reality. Products of Covenant University are expected to manifest possibility mentally, wherever they are confronted with challenges, they must approach the challenge with possibility mentality.
Capacity Building
Today, we have in our country, some leaders who are neither readers nor searcher of knowledge. They lack the required capacity to hold public office. You hardly hear them make reference to any great leader or author in their speeches. What core value of capacity building is aimed at doing is to build in our products the consciousness of life long learning, like the Chancellor, Dr David Oyedepo will always say, “When you stop learning you start dying”. Leaders are trained to take the lead, that is why they must be equipped with relevant information that will enhanced their delivery as leaders. A leader must be ahead of the lead to maintain the lead.
Integrity
Capacity without integrity will lead to leadership abuse. What is the use of a self acclaimed ‘great achiever’ who is a rogue. CU products will not only be equipped with the capacity to deliver, they will also have integrity to match their delivery. The core value of Integrity will build in our products the sense of truthfulness.
Diligence
Many of today’s leaders are not ready to work, talk less of working hard. They want to have it so easy. Traveling around our country today, you see a lot of abandoned projects, because somebody somewhere lack the required handwork needed to get things done. A diligent product will work to enhance quality of life. Many Nigerians work to survive. It takes diligence to attain into distinction.
Responsibility
A good leader must be all round responsible. A responsible person must be dependable and reliable. CU products must be dependable and reliable. When they are put in charge of any business, they must give good account of their stewardship. It is irresponsibility in leadership that makes the nation to still remain at poverty level despite the huge amount of money made from crude oil. With responsible leaders in position of power, our nation will experience a true national transformation. This we believe Covenant University products will produce for our Nation.
Sacrifice
Leadership is all about sacrifice. Until you are ready to sacrifice yourself for other, you are not fit to become a leader. A leader must be ready to pay the price. Jesus Christ, the greatest leader of all time paid the highest price of sacrifice: he laid down his life. Many of our leaders in this country are not ready to even forgo their comfort for the wellbeing of others. CU products are trained to live a life of contribution. Leaders earn respect of their followers when they live a sacrificial life. Leaders are not boss they are servant of the people. A servant leadership is the best kinds of leadership and that is what CU products is expected to provide.
The biggest challenge of our nation is the breakdown of societal values. With our eyes wide open, we see family values been shattered; there is high rate of divorce, and the number of single parenthood is on the increase. It is no more news to see public office holders looting the treasury of State. Moral value is constantly under threat and our media houses are the principal culprits, through all kinds of ungodly musical video presentations.
The breakdown of family values is the reason for the woes of our society. One major area that has suffered as a result of this breakdown is our socio-political life. Education a vehicle for social change is plagued with the evil of examination malpractices, sexual pervasion and cultism, the political system is equally plagued with corrupt electoral process that cannot produce credible election. The resultant effect is the emergence of leaders with weak character. The increasing number of rogues in the corridor of power is unprecedented in the history of our political history.
For a new generation of leaders to emerge, there must be a restoration of our value system. The restoration of our value system is then reason foe the birth of Covenant University Core Values. Covenant University is set up to raise a new generation of leaders, men and women who will live under Godly oath to deliver values to their generation. By the time we have more products of Covenant University living by these core values, in no time, we shall have a restoration of our lost values.
The Core Value of Covenant University
There are seven Core Values designed by God to guide the process of raising new generation of leaders in Covenant University. These values:
1. Spirituality
2. Possibility Mentality
3. Capacity Building
4. Integrity
5. Diligence
6. Responsibility
7. Sacrifice
Spirituality
Spirituality is the number one core values. The reason for this is that it has been proved in history that spirituality is the mirth behind world great inventions. It was after the spiritual awakening in America and Great Britain that we begin to witness the emergence of great inventors. There is no doubt that these inventors were mostly products of this spiritual awakening. Spirituality should not be mistaking for religiosity. Spirituality is our only connection with God. It takes spirituality to manifest our full potential and live our life to its fullness. With spirituality, purpose is easily pursued to fulfillment. When we seek God first we become the first in all things. It is lack of spirituality that will make a leader to live without the fear and consciousness of God. With spirituality core values, Covenant University products will indeed become the desirable leaders our dear nation having longing to have.
Possibility Mentality
It is possibility mentality that enables a man to believe that with God all things are possible. We can live a debt free life with possibility mentality; It is lack possibility mentality in leadership that keep Nigeria in perpetual darkness despite the volume of money spent on our energy sector. It is possibility mentality of our Chancellor, Dr David Oyedepo that makes the building of Faith Tabernacle and Covenant University a reality. Products of Covenant University are expected to manifest possibility mentally, wherever they are confronted with challenges, they must approach the challenge with possibility mentality.
Capacity Building
Today, we have in our country, some leaders who are neither readers nor searcher of knowledge. They lack the required capacity to hold public office. You hardly hear them make reference to any great leader or author in their speeches. What core value of capacity building is aimed at doing is to build in our products the consciousness of life long learning, like the Chancellor, Dr David Oyedepo will always say, “When you stop learning you start dying”. Leaders are trained to take the lead, that is why they must be equipped with relevant information that will enhanced their delivery as leaders. A leader must be ahead of the lead to maintain the lead.
Integrity
Capacity without integrity will lead to leadership abuse. What is the use of a self acclaimed ‘great achiever’ who is a rogue. CU products will not only be equipped with the capacity to deliver, they will also have integrity to match their delivery. The core value of Integrity will build in our products the sense of truthfulness.
Diligence
Many of today’s leaders are not ready to work, talk less of working hard. They want to have it so easy. Traveling around our country today, you see a lot of abandoned projects, because somebody somewhere lack the required handwork needed to get things done. A diligent product will work to enhance quality of life. Many Nigerians work to survive. It takes diligence to attain into distinction.
Responsibility
A good leader must be all round responsible. A responsible person must be dependable and reliable. CU products must be dependable and reliable. When they are put in charge of any business, they must give good account of their stewardship. It is irresponsibility in leadership that makes the nation to still remain at poverty level despite the huge amount of money made from crude oil. With responsible leaders in position of power, our nation will experience a true national transformation. This we believe Covenant University products will produce for our Nation.
Sacrifice
Leadership is all about sacrifice. Until you are ready to sacrifice yourself for other, you are not fit to become a leader. A leader must be ready to pay the price. Jesus Christ, the greatest leader of all time paid the highest price of sacrifice: he laid down his life. Many of our leaders in this country are not ready to even forgo their comfort for the wellbeing of others. CU products are trained to live a life of contribution. Leaders earn respect of their followers when they live a sacrificial life. Leaders are not boss they are servant of the people. A servant leadership is the best kinds of leadership and that is what CU products is expected to provide.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
