“We’re wired to expect the world to be brighter and more meaningful and more obviously interesting than it actually is.”
—Lev Grossman
By Cosmas Omegoh
A new acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun assumed command at the Louis Edet House Nigeria Police headquarters, Abuja, recently. Egbetokun, 59, is a mathematician.
As soon as his coming was confirmed, videos of a jubilant crowd of police men and women surfaced, many of them singing songs in praise of him. Many in that crowd were definitely happy that a change in the leadership had taken place. They were happy that Egbetokun had become the new man in the saddle.
Indeed, many Nigerians too, are happy that some fresh air had been breathed into the system. That will help tackle the myriad of security challenges that have continued to torment the nation. People believe that with the new kid on the block, working in sync with other security agencies, a “mathematical” solution might as well be underway to change the country’s ugly security narrative.
For long, it has become customary in the country for every new administration to clear out existing police and Service Chiefs – to protect itself. Call it regime protection. That accounts for the reason the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration had to appoint new Service Chiefs along side Mr Egbetokun as acting IGP.
Some people who have followed Egbetokun’s career after he became the Chief Security Officer to Tinubu when the latter was governor of Lagos State will tell you he has been on the assendency. In later years, he has been a man whose palm nut was cracked for him by a benevolent Chi (god). People recall that Egbetokun upon becoming Commissioner of Police was a part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) arrowhead of Otege in Kwara State that dealt a devastating blow to the Saraki political dynasty in the state. Today, the Tinubu boy has climbed to the apex of his career.
But not everyone will believe the Egbetokun assistance theory. Those who follow his career trajectory will tell you he is a gentleman officer dedicated to his calling, having worked in various police commands without blemish. One who has earned his place in the police by sheer hardwork.
Nevertheless, Nigerians’ current of expectation from the new acting IGP remains one. They are expecting him to “hit the ground working.”
At the moment, Nigerians are driven to the point of depression by the current of kidnapping, banditry, insurgency, ritual killings, robbery and other allied vices sweeping through the land. They are hungry for something revolutionary.
Among the expectations, Nigerians want to travel on roads that are made safe. Farmers wish to return to their homes and fields to continue plying their trade. Many want Egbetokun to rise and checkmate the army of youths that have elevated cybercrime to an act, including those who are neck deep in Yahoo-yahoo.
For Egbetokun to succeed in his new office, a greater number of people are expecting him to turn his gaze on his officers and men.
Oftentimes, allegations fly around that some crimes are in themselves perpetrated by those now under his command handed the constitutional duty to protect the people. Should he discountance that? Maybe, maybe not!
Now ask those who ply the roads. Each one of them has had one raw encounter or another with the police to tell. He must do something about his men harassing innocent people on the streets and highways. It is no longer enough to fish out a few bad eggs in the police for punishment. Nigerians expect an overhauling of the system. They want to see that done. Therefore, Egbetokun, should focus on sanitising the system to bear better fruits even after he has left.
Besides, Egbetokun must realise that training and retraining the police need to be taken seriously. Getting his people to unlearn and relearn is imperative. He must realise that they cannot give what they don’t have.
Across the world, respect for the dignity of the human person, their rights and rule of law has become the norm. Things are changing. In this regard, Egbetokun’s reappraisal of the curriculum of various police colleges should not be neglected. What the police are taught at such places are important for the good of the society.
Now, boosting the moral of his constituency has become urgent. News of police men and women buying booths and uniforms by themselves – where this is true – is bad enough. Incidents of the police being owed backlogs of salaries too are bad by all standards.
For the present government and the public, support for Egbetokun and the police is the right way to go. Approval of jumbo pay and allowances for the undeserving previledged few in government while Nigerians starve, and the police are paid peenuts to watch over the country is uncsionable. That practice is inhuman; it is a travesty of natural law and justice.
Now, Nigerians need to decide and build a police system that works for them.
Overall, everyone is looking to see an Egbetokun that will write his name in gold – a man that will take his job seriously. Nigerians are looking to see an IGP that will build a stronger institution – an IGP that will work for the state rather than pander to the whims and caprices of his benefactors.
Already, the new IGP, who claimed to have the spirit of a tiger and a lion, has set one important objective for himself – to chase and devour Nigeria’s enemies – the criminals. May he not fail, may he not falter!
Born on September 4, 1964 in Erinja, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, Egbetokun joined the Force as Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police on March 3, 1990.
Before his latest decoration, Egbetokun was the Deputy Inspector-General of Police supervising the Southwest geo-political zone; he manned the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID).
Egbetokun earned a Bachelor of Science degree (B.Sc) in Mathematics in June 1987 from the University of Lagos. He later taught Mathematics briefly at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, before joining the police.
Egbetokun also has an MSc in Engineering Analysis, from the University of Lagos, Akoka, in 1996, PGD in Petroleum Economics from Delta State University, Abraka, 2000, and an MBA from Lagos State University, Ojo in 2004.
He also attended several other courses and worked in various police commands.