REWARD FOR FAITH AND SERVICE

The CAN award is an endorsement of a leadership that places service and responsibility in governance, reckons EGBEDI ODEDE AKPOBOME

The Christian Association of Nigeria’s (CAN) decision to honour Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, with its prestigious Christian Icon Award is more than a ceremonial recognition of a public office holder. It is a significant endorsement of a leadership philosophy that places service, integrity, compassion and responsibility at the heart of governance. The award offers an opportunity to reflect on the values behind the honour and how they connect with his administration’s performance through the MORE Agenda.

For Oborevwori, an elder in the Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners Chapel, led by Bishop David Oyedepo, the recognition carries a special significance. It brings together two important dimensions of his public life: his Christian faith and his responsibility as the chief executive of Delta State.

Yet, beyond the personal satisfaction of receiving an award from the country’s foremost Christian umbrella organisation, the real value of this recognition lies in the questions it raises about leadership, public service and the relationship between professed values and practical governance.

What does it mean to be recognised as a Christian icon while occupying one of the most demanding political offices in Nigeria? And how does such recognition relate to the expectations of the people whose mandate a leader has been entrusted with? These are questions that make CAN’s award particularly noteworthy.

Last Saturday, CAN, through its President, His Eminence, Most Rev. Daniel C. Okoh, presented the award to Oborevwori during the organisation’s 50th anniversary celebration at the National Christian Centre, Abuja.

The occasion itself was significant. Five decades of CAN’s existence represent a long history of Christian engagement with Nigeria’s national development, interfaith relations, public morality and the pursuit of a more peaceful and cohesive society.

Against this background, CAN’s decision to honour Oborevwori as a Christian icon should not be treated as an ordinary addition to the growing collection of awards presented to political leaders.

According to Dr Okoh, the recognition is reserved for distinguished leaders who demonstrate excellence, integrity, commitment to nation-building and the values of faith and service in their political engagements. He also highlighted Oborevwori’s contributions to national development through public service, describing his approach as one anchored on compassion, integrity and ethical leadership.

These are weighty attributes. They speak to the standards by which public leadership ought to be assessed, particularly in a political environment where citizens increasingly demand accountability, purposeful governance and tangible improvements in their living conditions.

The award, therefore, presents an opportunity to examine how the principles identified by CAN relate to Oborevwori’s stewardship of Delta State.

For the governor, the MORE Agenda provides the framework through which that question can be considered. Since assuming office, Oborevwori has pursued his administration’s MORE Agenda, built around Meaningful Development, Opportunities for All, Realistic Reforms and Enhanced Peace and Security.

The agenda represents his administration’s stated commitment to addressing the development needs of Delta State while creating opportunities for its people and sustaining the peace necessary for economic and social progress.

Its significance lies not merely in the political slogan but in the responsibility to translate its promises into policies, projects and programmes that improve people’s lives. This is where the relationship between CAN’s recognition and the governor’s performance becomes particularly important.

Christian leadership, properly understood, is not simply about church attendance, religious titles or public declarations of faith. It is also about the practical demonstration of values through decisions and actions that affect other people.

Compassion, for instance, becomes meaningful when public policies respond to the needs of vulnerable citizens. Integrity finds expression in responsible management of public resources. Ethical leadership is demonstrated through fairness, accountability and respect for the dignity of every citizen, regardless of political affiliation, ethnic background or religious belief.

Similarly, commitment to nation-building requires leaders to look beyond immediate political interests and work towards a society in which people can live in peace, pursue their ambitions and benefit from development. These are the standards against which the MORE Agenda must continually be measured. And they are also the standards that make CAN’s award an important moment for reflection.

Having recorded significant achievements in the last 40 months, CAN’s recognition should inspire Governor Oborevwori to sustain his administration’s development efforts and ensure that the benefits of the MORE Agenda reach every part of Delta State. An award is an acknowledgement of achievement, but it can also serve as an invitation to greater responsibility. For Oborevwori, that responsibility is to keep translating the objectives of his agenda into measurable improvements in the lives of Deltans.

One of the most striking aspects of Oborevwori’s remarks after receiving the award was his insistence that political responsibilities must not be confused with service to God. “We may be involved in politics, but we must be able to distinguish between serving God and playing politics. These are two different responsibilities, and we must never allow politics to undermine our commitment to God,” he said.

The statement offers an important insight into his understanding of the relationship between faith and public service. Politics is often characterised by intense competition, shifting alliances, partisan disagreements and the struggle for power. These pressures can test the convictions of even the most well-intentioned public office holders.

For a leader who professes Christian values, the challenge is to ensure that political considerations do not displace the principles of honesty, fairness, humility and compassion. Faith should not become a convenient instrument for political advantage. Rather, it should provide an ethical compass that guides decisions, especially when the choices before a leader are difficult or unpopular. This distinction is important in a religiously diverse society such as Nigeria.

While Oborevwori’s Christian faith may inform his personal values, his constitutional responsibility as governor extends to every resident of Delta State, irrespective of religious belief. A Christian leader’s commitment to fairness must therefore be reflected in inclusive governance, equal treatment and the protection of the rights of all citizens.

In this sense, the strongest expression of Christian values in government is not religious preference but the consistent pursuit of justice, peace, human dignity and the common good.

Oborevwori also disclosed that his commitment to ushering work began several years before he became Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly. According to him, he continued with the responsibility despite advice at the time that he should discontinue the practice because of his political position.

The disclosure suggests that his involvement in church service was not something he adopted only after becoming governor. That distinction matters because character is often revealed through commitments sustained when there is little immediate political advantage to be gained. Maintaining a personal commitment to faith and service under such circumstances can be a source of discipline and perspective.

For Oborevwori, the opportunity presented by the CAN award is to demonstrate consistently that the values he upholds in his religious life also inform his approach to governance.

That means remaining accessible to the people, listening to criticism, treating public resources as a trust and ensuring that development policies are guided by the interests of the state rather than narrow political considerations.

Another important aspect of the governor’s remarks was his commendation of efforts to bring the five blocs within the Christian community together. He expressed the belief that their unity and ability to speak with one voice would strengthen the Christian community and contribute to Nigeria’s development.

Nigeria’s diversity is one of its defining characteristics, but diversity can become a source of tension when differences are manipulated for political or social advantage.

The task of leadership is to build bridges, encourage dialogue and create an environment in which people with different perspectives can work towards shared objectives.

Following the presentation of the award, congratulatory messages have been pouring in for the Delta governor. His presence at the ceremony was accompanied by several political leaders and government functionaries, including his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor; members of the National Assembly; and other prominent political figures. Their presence underscored the importance attached to the recognition and the occasion.

Yet, while congratulations are appropriate, the award’s enduring significance will depend on what follows. Awards celebrate achievements, but they also create expectations. Recognition for integrity calls for even greater transparency. Recognition for service demands renewed commitment to the public good. Recognition for ethical leadership requires consistency between words and actions.

For Oborevwori, this means sustaining the momentum of the MORE Agenda, strengthening the delivery of essential services and ensuring that government policies produce tangible benefits across Delta State. It also means recognising that development is a continuing process rather than a destination. Governor Oborevwori’s administration must therefore be willing to evaluate its performance, address shortcomings and adjust its priorities where necessary.

These are values that transcend religious boundaries. They are also essential ingredients of responsible governance. As Oborevwori continues to implement the MORE Agenda, the challenge is to ensure that these principles remain visible in the administration of Delta State and that the pursuit of development remains firmly focused on the welfare of its people.

Akpobome, a Civil Engineer and Community Leader, writes from Effurun, Delta State