Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Sam Adeyemi, has sparked fresh conversations on leadership integrity and transparency in the church, following a candid revelation about a mistake he once made during a sermon—and how he handled it.
In a widely circulated podcast clip that gained traction on social media on Tuesday, Adeyemi recounted a humbling moment that occurred a few years before the COVID-19 pandemic. During a teaching session, he had confidently declared that the eagle is the highest flying bird in the world—a claim he had heard repeated for decades.
However, the following day, a keen-eyed member of the congregation reached out to gently challenge the assertion.
“A church member sent a message to Pastor Nick and said, ‘I know I may not have the right to correct Pastor Sam, but he said the eagle is the highest flying bird, and that’s not accurate,’” Adeyemi recalled.
Instead of brushing off the correction, Adeyemi did what many leaders shy away from—he double-checked the facts.
“As she was talking, I pulled out my phone and searched on Google. And indeed, she was right. The eagle doesn’t even rank in the top ten highest-flying birds,” he admitted, with a tone of humility.
True to his commitment to integrity, Adeyemi returned to the pulpit and owned up to his mistake in front of the entire congregation.
“I told the church exactly what happened. I said, ‘One of you sent this message, and I verified it. I was wrong.’ And I apologised publicly.”
This moment of transparency was more than just a correction—it became a teaching point in itself. Adeyemi used the opportunity to highlight the importance of authenticity in leadership, especially within religious institutions where spiritual leaders often face unquestioned reverence.
He also emphasized the role of younger generations in reshaping how leadership is perceived in today’s information-driven world.
“Many leaders don’t realize how much things have changed,” he noted. “People used to just accept what you said. Now, they’re Googling your statements in real-time. And when they find out it’s not true, they won’t come back—they’ll say you’re a hypocrite.”
Adeyemi warned that the inability of leaders—both in the church and beyond—to acknowledge errors and evolve with the times is part of the reason many young people are disengaging from traditional institutions.
“There’s a gap between generations. If we want to bridge it, we must lead with humility, honesty, and a willingness to admit when we’re wrong,” he said.
His message has since resonated widely, with many praising his boldness in practicing what he preaches and setting an example of principled leadership.
In a world where public figures often double down rather than admit fault, Sam Adeyemi’s openness offers a powerful reminder: authenticity isn’t a weakness—it’s the true strength of modern leadership.
