Sam Adeyemi faults leadership deficit among Nigerian leaders

The Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Sam Adeyemi, has said that many Nigerians occupying leadership positions have never received formal training in leadership, warning that the country cannot afford leaders learning on the job at a time of deep economic and social uncertainty.

Adeyemi spoke ahead of the 2026 edition of the church’s annual Excellence in Leadership Conference (ELC), scheduled for Thursday, November 5, and Friday, November 6, at Daystar Christian Centre, Oregun, Lagos.

“Sometimes only God knows who’s going to be governor. Who knows who’s going to be senator tomorrow? And most people occupying leadership positions in our country have not learned leadership anywhere,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to attend the conference and encourage others to participate, describing it as “a great investment in their lives.”

The conference, themed ‘Leading in Uncertainty,’** is designed to address the challenges confronting leaders in business, government, ministry and the creative industries, including volatile markets, rising living costs, policy shifts and a rapidly changing world of work, with another general election cycle approaching.

In a joint message, Adeyemi and his wife, Nike Adeyemi, who co-host the conference, said the theme would explore “what it truly means to lead when the ground keeps shifting economically, socially, and personally.”

They added that participants would be equipped to “stand firm, think clearly, and lead boldly,” turning uncertainty into a leadership advantage.

The two-day event will feature speakers from the religious, business, public service and entertainment sectors.

Among them is the Global Lead Pastor of Harvesters International Christian Centre, Bolaji Idowu, who oversees more than 30 campuses across Nigeria, West Africa, Europe and the United States. He also convenes Next Level Prayers, a daily online prayer community with hundreds of thousands of participants worldwide.

Also billed to speak is the Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria Plc, Oluwatobi Adeniyi, under whose leadership the consumer goods company’s market capitalisation has tripled in two years.

Adeniyi, who also serves as Vice President (Multinationals) on the Executive Committee of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, is known for advocating integrity-driven business leadership.

Former Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Toyin Ayinde, is another speaker. A former National President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners and current First Deputy President of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, Ayinde has consistently advocated orderly development.

He has argued that “planning should precede development as thinking should precede speaking; to do otherwise is to expect chaos.”

Award-winning singer Timi Dakolo, popularly known as Nigeria’s “King of Soul” and the voice behind the patriotic anthem Great Nation, will bring his perspective from the creative industry to the discussions.

Nike Adeyemi, a speaker, author and humanitarian, will also address participants alongside her husband. Through her Real Woman Foundation, she focuses on empowering women and supporting vulnerable people.

Sam Adeyemi has spent more than three decades developing leaders through initiatives such as the Daystar Leadership Academy, the Daystar Skills Acquisition Programme and the Shifts Initiative.

Previous attendees have described the conference as “a game-changer,” with many crediting it with providing practical strategies they subsequently applied in their careers and businesses.

According to the organisers, the conference is free and open to the public, with no registration required. Sessions will run from 9 am to 2 pm on both days at the church auditorium, Plot A3C, Ikosi Road, Oregun, Lagos.

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