By Adeola Badru

The Presiding Bishop of Victory International Church, Rehoboth Cathedral, Oluyole, Ibadan, Taiwo Adelakun, has called for urgent leadership reforms to address Nigeria’s ongoing crisis.

He made the call during a public lecture held in his honor on his 62nd birthday anniversary at Dominion University, Ibadan.

According to Bishop Adelakun, “Nigeria has not done right in the last 26 years of its democracy,” expressing deep concern over the current state of leadership.

He added, “We are in a crisis where the worst of us seem to be leading the best of us. We can do better.”

The bishop stressed that this situation has stifled the nation’s potential, insisting, “We are a nation of so many lions being led by sheep.”

He urged citizens to recognize the importance of effective leadership, saying, “If we, as a nation, pay attention to leadership, everything will fall in line by the special grace of God.”

Highlighting the critical role of capable leaders, he stated, “Great nations are made by the issue of leadership.”

Bishop Adelakun emphasized the importance of effective systems in governance, noting, “Leadership that puts systems in place — are those systems working? We see the nation working. But if leadership does not know how to put good systems in place, things can never work.”

“Everything you see working is based on systems. But some people must put the system in place. And that’s where Nigeria is missing it,” he added.

He also urged those in authority to learn from successful practices abroad, saying, “Those in positions of authority should replicate what they see in foreign countries in Nigeria to make things work.”

Reflecting on his own journey, the bishop said, “I still have a lot to do. I need to double my efforts to achieve more success.”

Earlier, in a lecture titled Epistemologies of Spirituality and Secularity: Development and the Example of Bishop Taiwo Adelakun, Prof. Senayon Olaoluwa, Director of the Tetfund Diaspora Transnational Study Centre at the University of Ibadan, praised the bishop’s contributions to society and called for greater integration of spiritual leadership in national development.

Prof. Olaoluwa said, “Bishop Adelakun embodies the spirit of resilience and faith. His work reminds us that spirituality and effective leadership can coexist to foster national growth.”