The founder of Jesus Cares Crusader Ministries International (JCCMI), Bishop Joseph Ademola Afolabi, has cautioned Christian leaders across Nigeria against using their ‘anointed tongues’ recklessly to speak negatively about the nation’s leadership.
He emphasised that careless words could destroy and even kill a nation.
Bishop Afolabi made the remarks on Thursday while declaring open the Kaduna Global Leadership Conference 2025, stressing the power of words in the hands of Christian leaders and urging them to use this power positively for the betterment of the country.
The bishop’s ministry is collaborating with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to host the three-day leadership conference in Kaduna.
Addressing participants at the programme, Bishop Afolabi said, “You and I must accept responsibility for what Nigeria has become today. Our words can kill! They can destroy! As leaders, we should stop speaking negative things about our nation and educate our members to do the same. Our words hold the power of life and death, as stated in Proverbs 18:21 — ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.’”
He further urged Christian leaders to use their words to restore the nation rather than pull it down, calling on them to discourage stigmatisation and humiliation of the nation on social media.
“Let us pray, trust in God and look forward to the restoration of our nation,” he said.
Bishop Afolabi stressed the importance of maintaining vision as a leader, explaining that “vision is the friend of every leader, helping them to maintain focus and stay the course.” He warned that followers become vulnerable to the enemy when leaders lose focus.
On theological matters, the bishop advised leaders to be cautious of erroneous assumptions, especially in these challenging times.
“Our focus should be on eternal truths rather than temporal matters. Sometimes, we hold onto wrong views due to a limited understanding of God’s sovereignty.
When we make mistakes, we should acknowledge them,” he stated.
Quoting a famous saying, Bishop Afolabi noted that, “The person who never makes a mistake never makes anything. The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” He urged participants to re-examine their positions instead of arguing when challenged, pointing out that many have shifted focus from eternal truths to earthly concerns.
He highlighted the need to realign priorities during the conference and urged attendees to stop equating success solely with money. “Without sacrifice, no one can make it to the end,” he added.
The bishop also advised Christians to pursue progress and avoid association with sinners and politicians bent on destroying the nation. “Great men and women of God, what is our collective vision for Nigeria? Are you playing your role to rebuild the nation for our children’s future, or you are siding with sinners and politicians to destroy it through wrong perceptions, ideology, and theology?” he querieed.
Bishop Afolabi condemned so-called human rights activists who disparage Nigeria’s leaders, describing them as enemies of the nation misleading the youth.
In his closing address, Bishop Afolabi urged patience and attentiveness among church members, noting that leaders themselves tend to be impatient during programmes.
It would be recalled that Bishop Afolabi was in Kaduna last September for a similar programme.
