By Adewole Kehinde
“The capacity for hope is the most significant fact of life. It provides human beings with a sense of destination and the energy to get started.” – Norman Cousins
On Monday, September 22, 2025, the Nigeria Police Force witnessed yet another milestone in its steady march towards transformation as the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, hosted an executive capacity-building workshop for the top leadership of the Force at the Police Resource Centre, Abuja.
The central thrust of the workshop was encapsulated in the IGP’s profound statement: “Conflicts no longer wait. Neither can we. Security challenges no longer unfold at a measured pace; they emerge suddenly, evolve rapidly, and persist stubbornly. If we must win, our leadership must be faster, sharper, and more innovative than the threats we confront.”
This declaration is not only timely but also visionary. It underscores the reality of policing in today’s Nigeria, an environment where threats mutate with alarming speed, demanding leaders who can think on their feet, innovate under pressure, and inspire their teams amidst uncertainty.
The chosen theme of the workshop, “Managing Fast-Paced Security Challenges in a Protracted Conflict Environment”, could not have been more apt. It speaks directly to the paradox of our times: conflicts that stretch across years yet shift shape and intensity daily. In such a context, the demand on police leadership is not only to respond but to anticipate, adapt, and outthink adversaries.
I commend the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP) for its foresight and commitment in organising this vital engagement in partnership with the Nigeria Police Force. Their collaboration reflects a recognition that modern policing cannot be pursued in isolation but must be grounded in scholarship, dialogue, and strategic foresight.
The one-day training workshop was thoughtfully designed to enrich the leadership journey of our police officers. The topics discussed were not abstract theories but practical weapons of leadership—tools to equip officers to command with clarity, manage crises with precision, and inspire confidence among the men and women they lead.
I trust that the workshop will usher in a collective transformation within the Nigeria Police Force. Indeed, IGP Egbetokun was emphatic in his charge that the exercise must not end as “a series of lectures and notes” but must produce a shift in mindset, a recalibration of strategy, and a renewal of commitment. This, to me, is the true essence of leadership development—measurable change in thinking and execution, not just participation.
Now more than ever, police officers must seize this opportunity to sharpen their instincts, renew their vision, and reaffirm their oath to serve with courage, honour, and distinction. Nigeria cannot afford leaders who lag behind the threats; we must nurture a generation of police commanders who are always several steps ahead.
The executive capacity building workshop marks a bold step in this direction. For this, I salute the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, for his vision, his courage, and his unwavering commitment to a Nigeria Police Force that is not just reactive but proactive, not just strong but smart, and not just present but prepared.
Adewole Kehinde is a public affairs analyst and is based in Abuja. kennyadewole@gmail.com @kennyadewole 08166240846
