Not everyone is meant to be a founder – Otabil urges youth to embrace purpose in service

General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dr Mensa Otabil, has cautioned against the widespread belief that personal fulfilment is solely tied to entrepreneurship or independent leadership, urging young people—particularly in Ghana and across Africa—to embrace the value of working under others.

Speaking at the Next Great Leader Summit 2.0: Wisdom at the Helm of Affairs held at the University of Gold Coast (UGC), Dr Otabil stressed that the majority of people are best suited to thrive within existing structures and established organisations, rather than attempting to carve out entirely independent paths.

“I think the majority of human beings—not only in Ghana but all over the world—would find fulfilment working with somebody, for somebody, under somebody. It is the easiest way to find fulfilment in life,” he said.

Challenging the narrative that autonomy is the only route to success, Dr Otabil explained that while ego may resist submission to leadership, not everyone is equipped to “do the heavy lifting” or remain mentally focused through the rigours of building something from scratch.

“Not everybody can do that,” he noted, adding that timing also plays a crucial role in success. “Most things happen within certain time frames. And when you miss that frame, it’s difficult for you to do it.”

He warned that a culture of pushing everyone towards entrepreneurship could backfire.

“If everybody feels that they have to set up their own, we are going to create a lot of frustrated people. We are going to get people who are successful short-term but can’t sustain it.”

According to Dr Otabil, one of the most important competencies for this generation—especially in the African context—is the ability to commit to a vision larger than oneself and to find genuine purpose in contributing to something they did not create.

“I think one of the biggest skills that people must develop, especially in this part of the world, is how to learn and find fulfilment being part of something that is not yours,” he advised.