Insights for Leading

John C. Maxwell was right when he stated that “ the quickest way to gain leadership is by solving problems .” His well-meaning assertion was focused on the dispositions of individuals towards problems; while some folks merely analyse problems and pass blames, some others take up the responsibility of solving them, and hence, become the people’s favourite. That earns for them a considerable measure of influence among people upon which they can build on to establish great leadership. But truth be told, while leadership is about solving problems, it entails much more than that! Being a problem-solver does not necessarily make one a good leader, however, a good leader is a problem-solver. This implies that good leaders prioritize people ahead of problems in their interest. Problem-solving helps to earn you influence, but it does not completely sustain that influence. Eventually, people will not care how much problems you solve until they know that you care about them primarily.

I have been rethinking the gains and pains of democracy, especially in recent generations in this our geographical clime. When we say that government should be of the people, by the people, and for the people, we need to consider that we are making government a people business. Notwithstanding the profoundness of its definition set forth by the iconic Abraham Lincoln, we need to consider the context it works best and hence, avoid overstretching its boundaries. For example, Abraham Lincoln had every right to describe democracy that way because he epitomized its very essence, but in Africa today, it only makes the people vulnerable and national/continental development an Utopian dream. Democracy structures politics as a business transaction between aspiring individuals and the people. And when you underscore the fact that the masses that always make up the majority are usually partially educated and cannot appropriate their interest well enough to make choices based on

Beloved Jesus Corper, Gracious greetings to you! There is an apostolic remark that well summarizes the intent of my writings to you, ‘ For me to the same things to you, it is not tedious, but for you it is safe ’. Yes, I do not consider it laborious to pen down these things; they are however my contribution to your success in youthful service particularly in NCCF, and generally in the NYSC scheme. Wherever there are people, there is bound to exist laws, not for their destruction, but on the contrary, for their edification. So laws make us responsible and accountable to one another; and if one is really committed to them, they help him to develop and evolve soundly over time. Now, I want to be specific about two of these laws. Of course, there are many of them and they differ across various states; however, some are generally applicable and are enshrined in our constitution. One of the general laws is that which pertains to language: it is stated that apart from English a

Hello Jesus Corper, Gracious greetings to you. As one who has been inclined to service and leadership all through my school days and was privileged by grace to bear such mantle also in NCCF, I understand that the health of a fellowship depends largely on the attitude of members to leadership. ‘Strike the shepherd’, said Jesus, ‘And the sheep will scatter.’ This is one reason I’m making great emphasis on relating rightly to leadership. Practically speaking, leadership is a delicate subject and I started highlighting this at the close of my previous epistle. It is delicate to stand between God and man! To strike the balance between authority and servant leadership is not easy, especially when a mind is closed; so as you read, please open your heart and trust God to broaden your perspective. Perhaps, a more pathetic point to note in this regard is that leaders sacrifice in ways you don’t know. There is much demand on their time, health, finance, emotional and spiritual reserves

Hello Jesus Corper, Gracious greetings to you. Indeed I always feel blessed to write to you, and my joy has been on constant increase ever since. I want you to know that for us as Senior Friends of the Family, you are our pride, the crown of our labours during our respective tenures in NCCF. In my previous epistle, I wrote to furnish you with understanding of the essence of rules in NCCF Family House. And most times, where rules exist, we expect to have ‘rulers’ who uphold the rules by exemplifying and enforcing compliance to them. They are the ones against whom we measure ourselves. In our own setting, we refer to them as leaders, and categorize them according to their differing levels of responsibility; and to them we ascribe great honour and respect. These Leaders are Jesus Corpers like you and necessarily so, in order for them to relate with your peculiar experiences as Christian Corps members; and hence, to be considerate enough when upholding the rules among you. But

Hello Jesus Corper, Gracious greetings to you. By now you know that if you merely couched to endure the regimentation of the NYSC Camp with the intent that you will be free from such once you get into the NCCF Family house, you are wrong. As a matter of fact, there are perhaps more rules and regulations in the Family House than there are at the Camp which you came from. Many Jesus Corpers have often argued that the family house ought to be free from such rules, because we are no longer under the law but under grace; moreover, rules merely make us shallow and religious rather than authentic in our dealings with God and man. While I might agree partially with them, I have a better understanding and posture of heart, given my first-hand experience of living in the family house and being the chief enforcer of compliance to the rules during my tenure there. It is therefore a noble intent for me in this epistle to enlighten you as well as guide you to effective use of the rules, i

Hello Jesus Corper, Gracious greetings to you. With regards to the point I made while rounding off the previous treatise, permit me to offer you here a scriptural understanding of the body of Christ as a family so as to help you fortify your heart. Do you remember the Parable of the Good Samaritan? Okay, sure you do. Now, consider that the man in the story is the natural man in reality; the thieves are Satan and his cohorts (of course, you remember John 10:10); and the Good Samaritan is Jesus the Saviour Himself. The inn is the Church while the Innkeeper is the Holy Spirit. We all have been in that miserable situation after the devil has dealt severely with us. Christ met us, and mercifully gave us salvation as first aid; then He took us to the Church to find a family, with the Holy Spirit as the Supreme Physician there to facilitate our recovery. So again I say, if you ever expected that you will meet a bunch of perfect people in the family house, you are wrong! If you th

Hello Jesus Corper, Gracious greetings to you. We thank God for the overwhelming success of the Rural Rugged held nationwide last weekend. Indeed, the testimonies abound; however, although we always pray for a net-breaking harvest which implies that we reap fruits beyond our expectations, we do not want a wasteful harvest; hence, the need for us to enlarge our capacities. We are not ignorant of the devices of the devil, for he goes about sowing tares while men are asleep from their labours. So, men and brethren, what shall we do? First, we shall let go of any offences or grudge that seemed to come in between us during the heat of our corporate work. Then we shall pray and pray and pray until we the glory of God is fully realized in the respective fields of our missionary expeditions. We shall pray for security of the souls already won. We also have to collaborate with churches and missionary organizations to provide consistent support to them. Furthermore, individually,

Hello Jesus Corper, Gracious greetings to you. RURAL RUGGED is the evangelistic brand of the Nigeria Christian Corpers' Fellowship, aimed at reaching out to rural communities with the love of Jesus and winning souls for the Kingdom of God. This objective is achieved through provision of welfare, social, and medical services as well as door-to-door and/or public gospel awareness campaigns. It is no more news that RURUAL RUGGED will be carried out this weekend by almost all state chapters of NCCF nationwide. Both heaven and hell are aware of the activities that will rock the spiritual clime. And yes! Lucifer will fall again like lightning from the sky. You can’t afford to miss out on this crucial assignment for Kingdom advancement. Make up your mind, prepare yourself and get on the frontline. The clouds are full, the harvest is ripe; behold, salvation is here. As you go, you can be sure that I and a host of other like-minded Senior Friends nationwide will be darting arro

Hello Jesus Corper, Gracious greetings to you. To buttress the non-denominational and interdenominational nature of NCCF, it is good to note that we study, teach and preach the Bible as it is. We do not see Scriptures through the veil of our denominational bias. We preach Jesus, not our ‘G.O’. That does not mean that we disregard our fathers; on the contrary, we honour them. Besides, we even have ministers from several denominations as patrons at national, state and zonal levels; however, we do not idolize any and we do not allow doctrinal differences to tear us apart. We simply test all things and hold on to what is true. Our fellowship is of the apostolic order; people from different backgrounds, races, tongues and tribes under heaven dwelling together in one accord. We continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, constantly studying the word of God and tarrying fervently in prayers. We are a people of strong spiritual culture. I make bold to say that the spiritual at

Beloved Jesus Corper, Gracious greetings to you In the first part of my epistle series to you, I warmly welcomed you to NCCF as God’s family. However, in order to enjoy this family, it is important for you to know that NCCF is a NON-DENOMINATIONAL and INTERDENOMINATIONAL fellowship. Please take note of the two descriptive adjectives used as well as the sequence of their use. NCCF is NON-DENOMINATIONAL Fellowship because it is founded on no Church or Ministerial denomination; however, as an INTERDENOMINATIONAL Fellowship, it accommodates all denominations. In order to help you understand these things well, let me do a quick review of how NCCF started, though you might even have gotten some information on this already. In the 1930s, a veteran missionary, Pa S. G. Elton, came to Nigeria to break new grounds; and while labouring for the gospel, he prophesied that the Federal Government of Nigeria will one day begin to pay her youths to take the gospel to the nooks and crannies

Hello Jesus Corper, I specially welcome you to this family of God’s people. As a former Jesus’ Corper and now a Senior Friend, I can confidently attest to the fact that NCCF is indeed a place to be. One of the most remarkable scenarios that evidences this is the manner in which people exit the family house after they have finished their course of service. There are usually tears overflowing in silence and echoes. Those tears are quite significant; in the first place, they are elements of joy with which people wet the family house, hence leaving behind a memorial which translates into cherished remembrances in subsequent years. Also, they are liquid prayers with which they offer thanksgiving and command heaven’s blessings on posterior generations of Jesus Corpers. Truth be told, the magnitude of the significance of those tears cannot be fully explained here; however, they are remarkable signs that reveal the quality of familial bonds that subsist among people when they

I remember that Dad often remarked that I was very handsome. He told me that he loved my mum at first sight because she was very beautiful. I did not totally agree with him because I had hardly beheld the reflection of my face perfectly via any means, but I did not disagree with him either because I have learnt that old men don’t talk nonsense. Besides, due to constant physical labour, my body build had fledged. Now, because of my facial attractiveness, physique and responsibility within and outside of the house, my boss’ wife began to eye me. I did not notice initially until she began to create an atmosphere between us by ensuring that I served her personally; she even went as far as bringing me into her room to work there as though her female workers were not competent enough. Perhaps, she had despised her husband because of me, seeing that I embodied all that she wanted in a man whereas he often carried his military life into his home, commanding everybody without doing anyth

As apostles in the marketplace, we are commissioned to go beyond the borders of the Church and make disciples of all nations. We are to interpret the doctrines, signs, and decrees of heaven in the language of the Chaldeans and the tongues of the children of Rahab. We are custodians of heaven’s secrets to revival and advancements in our fields. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down every imagination and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity in obedience to Christ. We are the light of the world; we dispel darkness, discern danger and discover directions. To one we are the fragrance of death leading to death; to the other we are the fragrance of life unto life. However, in all things, we act in honour of the King; at our words, waters turn to wine; and at our word, waters turn to blood. We don’t compete in our space; rather, we recrea