Christianity is in some many aspects in sync with ancient Western philosophy especially that of Plato. The relevant aspect one would draw from is Plato’s bifurcation of reality into two. Whereas one is immaterial and imperceptible, the other is material and perceptible. The latter – the world of the senses – derives its being from the former, the world of ideas. The world of ideas provides the forms of the perceptible world. The perceptible is their shadows, reflections or images of the immaterial world which Plato simply sometimes calls Reality. Reality, according to Plato, can only be known through reflection or reason. It is changeless and permanent and it is also the archetype of all existents. Reality- expressed in the world of Ideas – is the Truth and Being-as-it-is. The take home here is that whatever should be brought into existence ought have a model or paradigm with which it is or should be created as a foundation and reference point.
Today, we live with various forms of leadership models in Nigeria and Africa. We read about their live style. How they rule us here and have their families in Europe. How we are subjected to darkness due to their inability to fix the power sector yet we pay through our taxes for the generators they run. They establish new universities for us which their will attend. They secure loans for us that end up in their private foreign accounts. They build hospitals for us that they will never use. So much is spent on security yet they cannot move freely on the streets they tell us are safe. Reflect on the lifestyle of our religious and traditional leaders. There is difference from that of their political collaborators who even lavish them ceaselessly with unquantifiable cash and state of the art cars.
“Have this mind among yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this in mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death” (Philippians 2:3-8). The humility of Christ was epitomised in the fact that Judas Iscariot – His betrayer – told those to whom He had sold his master that, “The one I shall kiss is the man; seize him” (Matthew 26::48). This implies that both in life style and appearance Jesus Christ could not be differentiated from His disciples. A ‘kiss’ was needed to identify him! This cannot be said of today’s leaders in Nigeria. Fellow “ordinary citizens” are pushed far away from these leaders.
The Prophet, Zechariah, spelt out the quality of the coming King. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9). Two leadership qualities Christ taught His followers are humility and servitude. The principle of servant leadership is often associated with his teaching and character. “But he who is the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:11-12).
Another leadership model Christ taught and lived by was selflessness, altruism and sacrifice, even unto death. He emptied Himself that His followers shall be full. “… because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your captives free from the waterless pit” (Zechariah 9:11). This conclusion was reached by John when he drew a parallel between the example of Christ and the Church. “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). And this leads us to another leadership model Christ gave which is love. We have leaders today who thrive on hate and division. One ethnic nationality is Satanized over the other. Leaders now talk about some sections of theirs communities as “enemies.” “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:17-18). The unity and peace that must permeate the world flow from the love of Christ for us. It is also a reflection of the love He shares with His Father. “The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me” (John 17:22-23). Where there is love, unity and peace exist. “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and He shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth ” (Zechariah 9:10). Now, we have a leadership whose tracks are trailed with pool of blood, war, physical conflicts and divisiveness. They are fake and ungodly shepherds.
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There cannot be peace except there is righteousness and justice. The leadership of Christ is also equated with the reign of righteousness and justice. “Great and wonderful are thy deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are thy ways, O King of the ages” (Revelation 15:3). The Bible is replete with many verses on the righteousness and justice of Christ Jesus. “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Leadership devoid of these characteristics epitomise oppression and a reign of the anti-Christ.
In spite of the above, leadership comes with strength and power. Jesus Christ has the strength and power to establish his reign. He is the only one so empowered to overcome the beast and anti-Christ. He is the one commissioned by God to overthrow Lucifer. The Psalmist puts it thus: “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!” (Psalm 24:7- 8, 9- 10). Again Christ says, “And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder” (Matthew 21:44). Christ is not only a Stone upon which the Church is built, he is also a strong stone that would make his enemies stumble and fall and be crushed. ‘“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame.” To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not believe, “The very stone which the builder rejected has become the head of the corner,” and “A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall”, for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do”’ (1 Peter 2:6-8).
A good leadership model should exhibit humility, servant-leader, selflessness, altruism, sacrifice, peace, righteousness, justice, power and strength among others. Jesus Christ stood as an archetype for these leadership qualities that are canons with which we may evaluate our religious, corporate and political leaders. As Christians celebrate Palm Sunday this week, all should bear this in mind in all processions and shouts of, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!” (Matthew 21:9). Let us strive to enter the New Jerusalem to meet Jesus Christ! Happy Palm Sunday!
Be blessed and shalom!!
Rev’d Dr Karo Ogbinaka, an Anglican clergy of the Diocese of Lagos West lectures at the Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos and a member of the Editorial Board of The Trumpet
