Rev. Dr. Mrs. Nike Adeyemi, a renowned Nigerian pastor and respected voice in Christian and humanitarian circles, has urged African leaders to look beyond titles and targets, focusing instead on the people and families they influence.
Addressing participants at the 13th Jospong Leadership Conference at the Pentecost Convention Centre in Gomoa-Fetteh, Central Region, she stressed that leaders must be intentional about nurturing their subordinates and households with kindness, discipline, and strong values.
“The greatest leadership isn’t what we achieve; it is who we raise,” she said, highlighting that the true measure of leadership lies in the quality of lives shaped under one’s influence.
Speaking on the theme “Family Life and Relationship,” Rev. Dr. Adeyemi emphasized that every great leader is a product of family, community, and environment. She cautioned married couples and those aspiring to marriage against chasing perfection. “There are no perfect families, only intentional ones,” she noted. “What matters is the conscious effort we make to build homes that work for us, despite our flaws.”
She acknowledged that conflict is inevitable, both in families and in the workplace, but explained that when managed well, healthy conflict builds character and strengthens relationships rather than destroys them.
The conference, themed “Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Today,” provided a platform for her to underscore marriage as a cornerstone of effective leadership. Rev. Dr. Adeyemi explained that marriage shapes leadership culture and urged participants to cultivate strong, intentional family lives to enhance their effectiveness as leaders.
Describing leadership as a continuous journey of learning and unlearning, she said marriage provides one of the most practical arenas for developing habits and values, requiring leaders to consciously adopt positive behaviours and discard negative ones.
In her closing reflections, she stressed the balance between skills and character in leadership development. “Skills may open doors, but it is character that sustains influence and earns lasting respect,” she said.
Her message left thousands of participants with a powerful reminder: leadership begins at home, is refined in relationships, and ultimately manifests in how people raise and treat others.
