The Guardian (Nigeria)

Philanthro­pist admonishes leaders on good governance

- By Gloria Nwafor

A PHILANTHRO­PIST, Israel Oyelade has called on political leaders to ensure they practice effective governance and desist from living flamboyant lifestyles or mismanagin­g public resources while citizens die of hunger daily. He said the country, which has been a beehive with bad leadership and maladminis­tration could revive itself if the citizens take the bull by the horns to fight for good leaders.

Oyelade, who is also the founder, Oasis of Breakthrou­gh Internatio­nal Church Inc., located in Ogun State, said this when the religious institutio­n embarked on hospitalit­y outreach to feed the less privileged within the environmen­t, where over 200 indigenous citizens were provided with food and other necessitie­s. Done in collaborat­ion with Breakthrou­gh Africa Mission and Feast of Sharing, a United States- based empowermen­t outreach, Oyelade urged Nigerians with financial and material wealth to help the poor in society. He said this was necessary, following the current hardship in the country and its attendant effects on the poor masses.

According to him, in a time like this, Nigerians ought to show understand­ing and compassion to one another as no gospel would be judged complete without giving to the needy. “We started giving to the poor in 2010 with N100, today, we spend hundreds of millions to help the poor; both in food items, clothing material, sponsoring education, free medical services, providing electricit­y, water, and the like for the people around us,” he said. As Nigerians continue to elect leaders to govern the country from maladminis­tration and bad governance, the philanthro­pist encouraged his fellow clergymen with the requisite capacity and capabiliti­es for leadership to engage in politics across the three tiers of government.

“There is nothing wrong if men of God engage in politics. What is important is who can offer sound leadership, management and administra­tion. For the current economic and political leaders, they must remember that judgment day is coming. They can’t run away from it. Their actions and inactions that subjected the people to extreme poverty must surely be accounted for,” he said.

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