Mixed feelings as Course 21/2002 police cadets reunite after 20 years

By Christopher Oji

It was mixed feelings for members of the Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Course 21/2002 as they reunited in Lagos after 20 years of joining the force.

The officers, who were posted to different states and formations after graduating from the Police Academy, shed tears of joy and at the same time mourned their departed colleagues.

Some of them have been promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), while the majority are still at the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), but whatever their rank, they are still regarded as course-mates.

While the reunion took place first at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos, for a health walk, where they relived old times and shared joyful moments, at the lecture venue, as part of activities to mark the reunion, the mood turned gloomy when the officers saw the photographs of 45 members of their course who had passed away. Some of them could not hold back their tears and wept when they identified friends during their stay in the police college.

The officer in charge of the Police Traffic Section of Lagos State Police Command (MOTOPOL), CSP Oriyomi Titilayo Oluwasanmi, who could not hide her emotions after going through the list of departed colleagues, said: “We created a WhatsApp group where we interact and disseminate information, even where we announce death of colleagues. But I did not know that up to 45 of us were gone to meet with the Lord. We were 425 or so that started this journey and 45 have gone. This is too much for me to bear.

“I remember vividly one of them died while I was serving in Lion Building. I personally led a team that took his remains to his hometown for burial. I came here to dine and wine with my colleagues. After seeing the photographs of our dead heroes, I had intestine disquiet. I felt like going home, but I had to stay back to see others because we may not have the opportunity of meeting again like this. Some came from far places; some of us are holding more sensitive positions across the country and have no time to fraternize. So, this is a great opportunity to embrace our colleagues. In 14 years’ time, we all will retire. We may not have the opportunity of another 20 years’ reunion again. May God stop these death in our midst.”

Chairman of the anniversary committee, ACP Sanusi Jidda, while reflecting on their journey from 2002 when they were enlisted in the police, said: “We started together, precisely, on August 15, 2002. By the grace of God, it is 20 years today, and we may not be able to gather as we have done today because, in the next few years, some of us will retire and some might have left the service.

“After 20 years, we have really come a long way. We decided to gather to forge ahead and to make suggestions on the way forward to make the Nigeria Police better. After this event, we are going to have a communiqué to be forwarded to the appropriate authorities. We have made impact in the force, as the majority of our course-mates are holding sensitive positions across the country. My only regret is that 45 out of those who started together with us have died in the course of their service to the nation. May their souls rest in peace.

“I am pleading with the government to do more about the welfare of police officers and men to make them more efficient and to deliver their duties effectively.”

Also speaking, the secretary of the anniversary committee, CSP Olabisi Okuwobi, noted that there was a reform going on in the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, who is keen on sanitizing the service.

“We can all see how the bad eggs among the police are being dealt with. Reformation starts with the leadership, and that is what we have in the leadership of our IG now. He is sacrificing everything to make sure the police are people-friendly. He has been trying to build people’s confidence in the police again and that is why he has been seriously dealing with errant policemen, as we can all see.

“We want the people, the community, to walk with us while rebuilding the police, and that is why we have tagged our anniversary ‘Walk with the Police’. Everybody should walk with us so that we can have a peaceful society. This set, I mean ASP Course 21, is a unique one among other policemen in Nigeria. You can attest to it that every police officer from this set is hardworking, as many of us have carved a niche for themselves in the course of discharging their duties, with both national and international awards and community recognition.”

Okuwobi, who was the former DPO of Ejigbo Divisional Police Station in Lagos and former public relations officer of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, and Delta and Ondo states’ police commands, admonished serving officers to police with the fear of God and to establish good relationship with the civilian populace and society in general, as they would return to the same society after retirement.

“Whether you like it or not, we must retire from the force and the members of the public are watching us. We shall reap whatever we sow. If you do good good will follow you but if you do bad, bad will haunt you. I thank God that, in our course, people are testifying of our good conduct.”

Speaking about having only a few women in their category, CSP Veronica Ameh Akpa, the officer in charge of Zonal Intelligence Bureau, Zone 2, Lagos, said: “I know you are all witnesses to that. We’ve held very sensitive positions that women have never held. We are equal to the task, and I’ll say that 20 years down the line, I think we’re doing well.

“One of the greatest challenges that we have faced is losing our colleagues. We started with about 400 as Cadet ASPs, but we have lost over 45 officers in the course of the job. Some died while doing the job and it’s very disheartening. But we thank God, because they paid the ultimate price. We are doing well. Our course-mate, Yinka Egbeyemi, was the former Lagos State Task Force chairman and, presently, commander, Rapid Response Squad of Lagos State Police Command; one of us, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, is force public relations officer. And you can see what they are  doing. Our course-mates are doing well.

“We will make that history. I believe we will make it. Course 21 will make it. I want to be modest. I will say that people like myself, Seyi, the chairman of the planning committee, and a great host of others have made this course unique. We have said that we must unite to serve the country selflessly, and that is why Course 21 stands out. We have said that we will never give up. There is no No! We do not have No in our dictionary. It is always Yes. Ahead, ahead, we must achieve, and that is why Course 21 is unique, and I am confident that one of us will one day become the IGP.”

The two-day anniversary event featured an endurance walk, as they trekked from Police College, Ikeja, through Oba Ladejobi Street to Joel Ogunnaike, through Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way and back to the Police College.

Lectures were also delivered to them on topics such as ‘Advancing Friendly Policing and Public Safety in Contemporary Nigeria,’ ‘Pre-retirement plans and living happily ever after retirement,’ and ‘Safe, healthy and sustainable diets/lifestyle for police officers above 40 years,” given by Charles Ironagbe, a medical doctor, Dr. Amure Olusola, and a retired police officer, Obafemi Gbemileke Abiodun, respectively.