By Godwin Haruna, 09.27.2005

Ashimolowo added that Nigerians bent on seeking greener pastures abroad would have to return when the country picks up economically in the not too distant future.
Speaking at the annual public lecture of Adeleke Adejobi Foundation at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs on the theme: "Christianity Within the Contemporary World System: What Prospect?", he said Nigeria has no business with poverty considering the abundance of human and natural resources.
According to him, a leader is a person who creates a path for the current generation to follow adding: "It will be a person who puts the needs of others above their own. A leader is a person others naturally want to follow".
The fiery pastor noted that those who tend to present themselves as leaders were often a distant image away from those they lead.
"It becomes a case of the poor versus the prosperous, the desperate and the angry versus the complacent and comfortable", Ashimolowo stressed.
He said another challenge black leadership poses is that oftentimes, the people who elect themselves as leaders hold views that are illiberal, non-accommodating and very narrow.
He declared that the message of Christianity today has relevance to all facets of an individual or a nation's life.
"Christianity has prospects because it is the only basis for sanity in our world today. Were it to be withdrawn from the world, there is nothing which calls for the degree of morality, ethics, integrity and accountability which it demands. To be without Christianity is to create a world without values", he concluded.
In his welcome address, Reverend Olu Ayeni, secretary of the Foundation noted that it was established to promote democracy, freedom, human rights, justice and the rule of law in a non-partisan approach.
He said besides the lecture, so many programmes aimed at promoting ecumenism have been lined up for the annual remembrance of the late Dr. Emmanuel Adeleke Adejobi, who was the second primate of the Church of the Lord (Aladura) Worldwide.