The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has advised chiefs to live a life of integrity as gatekeepers of their communities.
Quoting the words of Dwight Eisenhower, Apostle Kumi-Larbi said that “the supreme quality for leadership is unquestionable integrity. Without it, no real success is possible.”
Speaking on the topic, “Chieftaincy and Integrity,” Apostle Kumi-Larbi defined integrity as wholeness, perfection, soundness, simplicity, completeness and sincerity.
The General Secretary was speaking at the ongoing 3rd Royals’ Conference of The Church of Pentecost at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa in the Central Region, on Wednesday, June 1, 2022.
This year’s conference is being attended by over 1,500 chiefs and queens and other royals drawn from various parts of Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso.
According to Apostle Kumi-Larbi, the Christian leader who has integrity is sound, reliable, trustworthy, and could therefore be described as dependable.
“Unfortunately, integrity seems to be a critical aspect of leadership which is mostly found wanting, both in the church and society as a whole,” he stated.
He explained that society is bedeviled with corrupt practices such as the multiple sale of land by some chiefs to prospective buyers.
Reading from Proverbs 11:3, he stated that King Solomon understood the importance of integrity, stressing that “the integrity of the upright guides them but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.”
According to Apostle Kumi-Larbi, corruption in society has resulted in some effects on the people, such as poor healthcare delivery, shoddy works, poor educational system, an increasing gap between the rich and the poor, and environmental degradation, among others.
He, therefore, urged the royals to be the accountable gatekeepers who would protect and ensure safety of their subjects in their jurisdictions.
Another issue that prevents chiefs from living a life of integrity, he said, was bribery and extortion. He explained that a bribe is “money, favour, or other consideration given in exchange for one’s influence against what is true, right, or just,” while explaining extortion as “taking money from someone by violence, threats, or the misuse of authority.”
Using Nehemiah as a model of integrity, he admonished the chiefs to live exemplary lives as Nehemiah did.
According to the General Secretary, in Nehemiah 5:14-17, Nehemiah did not act like others as he refused to take advantage of the people. Instead, he lightened their burdens with the resources he had.
“Chiefs must maintain consistent lifestyle whether people are watching or not,” he said, adding, “Do everything without prioritizing personal gain, because it is an abomination for a king to do evil, for the throne on which he sits has been established in righteousness.”
The 3rd Edition of the Royals Conference has been organised by the Chieftaincy Ministry of The Church of Pentecost, in collaboration with the Pentecost Men’s Ministry (PEMEM).
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