As Christians all over the world mark this day, August 29, as the feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist, which is the commemoration of his beheading by King Herod for speaking up to the truth, the Knights of St. John International (KSJI) of the Roman Catholic Church has taken a swipe against what they described as “obnoxious and draconian leaderships in all spheres of life in Nigeria.”
The Knights of St. John International (KSJI), a sodality organisation of men and women looked up to in the Roman Catholic Church as people of integrity, is not happy with the current situation in the country.
Pix- Major Gen. Remy Uche (Prof)
In a press statement by the KSJI leader in Nigeria (Supreme Subordinate President), Major Gen. Remy Uche (Prof), signed and issued to NewslineGlobal.com on Thursday , on his behalf, by his Chief of Staff, Sir Abuchi Anueyiagu, to mark the feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of the KSJI,” the organisation noted with dismay how Nigerians holding leadership positions at different stratas and in various places had turned themselves tyrannically against the people they were supposedly leading, being so intolerant, draconic, impervious and insensitive to the plight of the people”.
The statement read in parts:
“Nigeria has unfortunately become a place where people who found themselves in positions of power and authority are no longer living according to the principles of providing quality leadership, desirously promised to the the people initially but have rather turned themselves into behaving and becoming the Herod’s or Herodias of their various and respective places and organisations, including Faith-based organisations.”
He urged people in leadership positions and places of power and authority to always be mindful of the plight of the people and accordingly lead with compassion and commitment to the genuine cause of the places or the organisations that they are leading.
The Knights of St. John International implored them to shun such traits and tendencies of Herod or Herodias which are very inimical to the wellbeing of the people, and to always leave a good name for themselves and posterity.
It is the belief of the organisation that things would become better generally if people in positions of power and authority would make a change of their obnoxious ways and bad leadership styles and provide good governance or leadership to the people.
In the bible, King Herod and Herodias were identified as tyrannical, draconic and wicked, which Saint John the Baptist spoke strongly against and was later beheaded for speaking to the truth and damning the consequences.
The KSJI, which derived its name from the evangelist and adopted him as its patron saint, joins other Catholic faithful all over the world every year to commemorate every August 29 as the feast of the passion of Saints John the Baptist.
John the Baptist stood by the truth and died for the truth, even when people looked the other way.