By Adewole Kehinde
“To be an icon, you need to be bold. How do I define boldness? Stepping outside of your comfort zone.” – Saweetie
A day is often dedicated to marking an event to raise awareness, commemorate, or celebrate something significant.
Designating a specific day on the calendar helps people come together to remember, reflect, learn, and honour the event or cause.
It serves as a reminder of important milestones, historical events, achievements, struggles, or changes that have shaped our world.
Celebrating or commemorating a specific day can also foster a sense of unity, solidarity, and community among people who share common values, experiences, or interests related to that event.
No wonder police personnel were so excited when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced, during his speech read by Vice President, Kassim Shettima, titled “Courage Under Fire: A Bouquet for Our Police Force,” that the first week of April was approved by the federal government to be designated as police week and the last day of the week as National Police Day.
I can recall that July 6 was adopted to mark Nigerian Army Day because it was believed that the Glover Hausas, which metamorphosed into the Nigerian Army, were formed on July 6.
Since its formation in 1930, the Nigeria Police Force has never marked a day, unlike the Nigerian Army.
Since he assumed office on June 19, 2023, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has brought about sterling developments in the force, such as the Senior Police Conference Owerri 2023 aimed at creating a vibrant and inclusive community where professionals learned, shared knowledge, networked, and collaborated aimed at improving security practices and addressing emerging threats; the Special Intervention Squad (SIS), saddled with the responsibility of responding promptly to all security crises, thereby ensuring total elimination of criminal activities in trouble areas; the Central Motor Registry Information System (CMRIS), designed to enable motor vehicle owners to comply with regulatory requirements by providing information online about their vehicles, their ownership, and other necessary details that will support the Police in maintaining information on vehicles; The upgrading of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) to a department in the Nigeria Police Force aimed at solidifying ongoing efforts to bolster and upgrade the intelligence capabilities of the law enforcement agency.
So I was not surprised when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during the Police Awards and Commendations Ceremony put together by Lenders Consult International, announced that the first week of April, approved by the federal government, would be designated as police week and the last day of the week as National Police Day.
Nigeria Police Day is a wonderful way to bring attention and awareness to the plight of police personnel. It will allow focus and reflection on the significance and importance of a dedicated theme to mark the day.
It is also an avenue to bring police personnel together to celebrate, educate, and advocate for meaningful change. It will also serve as a reminder to pause and consider the impact of that subject on their lives and the lives of others.
Nigeria Police Day will also help unite police personnel for a common purpose and promote positive actions.
I must commend the entire management of Lenders Consult International for always supporting the uncommon initiatives of IGP Kayode Egbetokun and making them a reality, as can be witnessed from the Senior Police Conference in Owerri 2023 and the recent Police Awards and Commendations Ceremony.
The Force Public Relations Department under the amiable ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi deserves standing ovations for always playing a critical role in enhancing public trust, promoting transparency, and fostering positive relationships between Police and the communities they serve.
I must commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for not only approving the day and week but also promising to improve the training and capacity-building of police personnel regularly.
In conclusion, IGP Kayode Egbetokun has done “what Napoleon could not do” with several achievements within one year in office.
Adewole Kehinde is the publisher of Swift Reporters and can be reached via 08166240846; email: kennyadewole@gmail.com
