The Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Center, Sam Adeyemi, has expressed concern about the significant gap between leaders and the masses, particularly in Africa. He highlights this as a distinct issue in the continent and emphasizes that Africa is struggling with a deeply ingrained leadership culture where leaders wield immense power and the general population faces a subordinate role in various sectors.
Commenting on the recent military coup in Niger Republic, Adeyemi shared his thoughts in a series of tweets. He observed that neither military nor democratic systems have led to rapid development in most African countries. He stressed the importance of addressing the root problem, which he sees as a deeply ingrained leadership culture.
Adeyemi advocates for intentionally replacing old beliefs and behaviors with new ones. He points out that cultural change is crucial, as people often default to their old ways when making choices, resulting in the same outcomes. He emphasizes the need for sophisticated strategies to shift beliefs, values, and culture on a large scale. Adeyemi identifies high-quality education, leadership examples, economic empowerment, infrastructure development, and more as essential platforms for change.
The pastor also underscores the importance of valuing life and equality in democratic systems. He argues that democracy flourishes in countries where the power gap between leaders and citizens is minimized, and leadership is viewed as a call to serve the people rather than exert dominance. He suggests that leaders in such systems do not disproportionately consume resources meant for the common good.