Correcting Misconceptions: Sam Adeyemi, Eagles, and Leadership

I listened to the interview Sam Adeyemi had with Teju Babyface this morning. The discussion about the leadership culture in Nigeria caught my attention. There is a lot to unpack there.

The part where he admitted to his mistake when a church member told him that contrary to what he had always said, the Eagle is not the highest-flying bird made me chuckle.

His “Success Power” series had a significant presence on our radio waves when I was growing up. It was when I heard his claim about the Eagle in the early 2000s that I decided to research birds in an encyclopedia. I found out that he was incorrect. Since then, I would only roll my eyes when I heard that statement from him.

Decades later, hearing that it was only recently that a church member, a Gen Z, summoned the courage to tell him that the Eagle is not even among the top 10 highest flying birds is unfortunate.

Why did no one in his congregation muster the courage to correct him?

Church leaders, and leaders in general, should ask themselves if the aura they have created around themselves is not trapping them in an echo chamber of ignorance.

As for Sam Adeyemi, his fascination with the Eagle is well deserved. After he piqued my interest in the bird through his talks, I became captivated by it, especially the species known as the Bald Eagle.

That bird is truly special, serving as a worthy symbol of power and freedom.

While the Eagle might not be the highest-flying bird in the world, it boasts the best eyesight in the animal kingdom. This allows them to spot and focus on prey from a staggering distance of more than 3 kilometers away.

What’s even more astonishing is that despite their relatively small size, weighing less than 5 kilograms, eagle eyes are roughly the same size as human eyes.

But that’s where the comparison stops. The eyesight of the eagle is estimated to be as much as eight times stronger than that of the average human. Eagles can identify five uniquely colored squirrel species and can locate prey even when it’s hidden. An eagle can spot a rabbit from about 4 kilometers away.

As the eagle plummets from the sky to strike its target, the muscles around their eyes continuously adjust the curvature of their eyeballs, ensuring that their gaze remains unwavering. This maintains sharp focus on the prey, providing accuracy throughout the entire process of catching it.

If you have watched this process on the National Geographic channel, you will understand how truly remarkable this feat is.

The Bald Eagle’s vision is indeed a marvel of nature.