Nigeria: Emulate the Servant Leadership demonstrated by the Easter story

Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo - Oyo

There are places where it is becoming harder and harder to even have hope due to war, violence, and bloodshed. We should all be concerned and roused to prayer and action. The world is in a mess, and the Easter message of sublime love must prevail!

The Reality of Easter 

Easter is the celebration of the Risen Christ, who won victory over death through his sacrifice for humanity. Easter brings joy, but it also indicts all leaders and people in positions of influence who refuse to use their position, power, resources, and influence to generate joy by prosecuting and stopping evil around them, whether in society, the family, or the Church. We all, especially leaders, are called to deploy everything at our disposable—intelligence, finances, technology, art, creativity, and power—to create a better world for all. It is evil and malicious hypocrisy for any leader to claim ignorance or helplessness when evil is destroying people and property all around them. On such leaders, God’s judgment will fall severely.

Jesus condemned hypocrites 

Jesus condemned the political leaders of his time for neglecting the law, justice, mercy, and good faith. Nigeria’s political leaders, who control and enjoy public resources and have all the powers of coercion in their hands, stand most condemned for merely explaining away terror, insecurity, violence, death, and destruction in the land, rather than dealing with these issues without fear or favour. Leaders who fail in this can only celebrate an empty Easter.

Jesus was different; he came to serve, not to be served. He applied all he had at his disposal to save his followers. To all our leaders, I ask: What have you sacrificed to merit your status and mandate? Just as Easter cannot be authentic or real without the sacrifice and cross of Good Friday, in the same way, leadership cannot be real without sacrifice.

Woe to false Shepherds and heralds

We Christians must interrogate our sincerity as followers of Christ and emulate the Master Jesus in holiness and obedience to God. We must embrace the total Christ, who came to serve, not to be served and who laid down his life for the common good.

Our priests, pastors, and prophets must shun falsehood, speak the truth, and live by works of mercy and compassion at all times. We must stop preaching only the sweet prosperity Gospel through smart language and wise-sounding words which make the cross of Christ pointless and give people false hopes of success without hard work.

Easter means that Hope cannot disappoint us 

To all Christians, I say with St. Peter: Be patient and enduring in your faith because “Christ suffered for you and left you an example for you to follow in his steps” (1 Pet. 2:21-25). Emulate him, for through his bruises, we have been healed. We should remember, particularly, that we have a mandate to spread the joy and hope of Easter in spite of current challenges through our sacrifice, for God turns everything to the good of those who love him. This is the promise of Easter. We must do our utmost to complete what is left to be done in the victory of Jesus Christ, to make it effective and felt by all. Make someone smile at Easter, but remember that you are also someone! This is our task. Let hope not be lost because Jesus is risen.

Alleluia! Happy Easter to all, to Nigeria, and to the world.