PETER ODILI @ 73 *HOW HE MET HIS WIFE JUSTICE MARY, DRAMA DURING THE COMING OF THEIR FIRST CHILD

 

Sir Dr. Peter Odili and wife Mary

By Fred Iwenjora

Former Governor of Rivers state Sir, Dr Peter Otunuya Odili turned 73 years on August 15, 1948.

FRED IWENJORA explores his life and times as contained in his book; Conscience and History, My Story with special emphasis on how he met his amiable wife Justice Mary Odili, loved her at first sight and the drama during the arrival of their first child Adaeze.

Enjoy the respected physician in his own words as we burrow through one of the chapters in the book; Mary and I building our family.

He writes “I have always had this culture of “impatience for time wasted on queues”, especially for food, moreso if it was avoidable.  And so by the time I became a medical student at the Enugu campus of the University of Nigeria this attitude had become a habit.  I was either amongst the ‘1^st XI’ at the dining hall or amongst the last ’X1’.

On this fateful afternoon in 1972, at about 1.30pm while killing time in a lecture room on the first floor of the science building, studying and waiting to do last ‘XI’ lunch, three girls walked into the lecture hall.  The chatting and giggling caught my attention and I looked up from my Physiology book.  My eyes fell on one of the girls and something snapped in me and I said to myself “this is your wife”.  I had never seen her before that moment and had no idea who she was.  I watched them drop their books to ‘colonise’ seats for their afternoon lectures.  Again this was the practice on campus those post-civil war years.  Due to the paucity of facilities and infrastructure, lecture halls were shared between various disciplines and there were not enough seats for all the students, so to be sure of good seat upfront, serious students had to go in advance of the lectures and secure seats with their books.  The three girls took no notice of the young man who was gazing at one of them.  They left the hall having secured seats for whatever lecture it was they were programmed for.  I immediately walked up to where they had placed their books and opened the one placed by this unknown ‘angel’ that had me transfixed at first sight. I saw her names – Mary Nzenwa – Faculty of Law, instantly internalized the information and went back to my seat.  I could not concentrate anymore on what I was studying before the entrance of the three girls. I closed my book happily and was consumed with thoughts of this little angel Mary that my heart told me shall be my wife, even after, I silently watched Mary for the next three and half years without her knowing or even suspecting.  The Enugu campus was a relatively small place and it was easy to shadow anyone of interest.  I monitored Mary, I gathered all basic necessary information about her, but made no moves whatsoever to approach her. 

 TURNING POINT

“Like all things of destiny one fateful evening an old CKC friend Papp Alumona who was a law student on campus requested my company for a birthday party of one of his colleagues in their faculty – I obliged, it turned out that Alumona had in his company, his girlfriend and her roommate who turned out to be my dream girl ‘Mary’. You can imagine the internal excitement I felt at this unforeseen, unplanned and fortuitous coincidence. Mary and I met for the first time and got introduced to each other.  We clicked.  The ‘bug’ I had harboured for three and half years also caught her that night.  Our chemistry ‘jived’, we bonded. Nature, time, and opportunity met at destiny’s door.  We both fell instantly in LOVE, and got married 18 months after.  We have remained in love ever since.  This is our 36½ years in love non-stop and connubial bliss for 35 years. Mary was then in her final year as a law student.  She graduated from the faculty of law, and proceeded to the Law school in Lagos 1976/77 while I was in my final year in medicine.  We graduated about the same time, me from medicine and she from the law school.  I commenced my internship at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (U.B.T.H.) in July 1977 while she was posted to Ministry of Justice Abeokuta, Ogun State for her NYSC programme.  By 26^th August 1977 we got married at Oredo Local Government council Registry Benin, Edo State after one month as a house officer and Mary’s one month as NYSC member.

 A SIMPLE BUT UNIQUE WEDDING

 “Our wedding was very unique in its simplicity.  At the registry there were just four of us (Mary, myself, Agnes, Mary’s immediate younger sister and Humphrey Ukpabi, my house officer colleague).  When we got back to the house officers’ quarters, I just called my colleagues to join us in our one – room apartment for a reception.  Our wedding mass was at St. Paul’s Cathedral Parish, Benin City; present were Prof. & Mrs. Linus Ajabor, Mrs. Faith Ene and the Reverend Father (an Irish priest).  In all, the total cost of all the ceremonies including cost of our wedding dresses and suit, rings etc was N280.00.  My salary as a house officer was N400.00 per month and Mary’s NYSC monthly allowance was N170.00.

 AN EXTRAORDINARY AND NOBLE FATHER IN- LAW

“Anyone familiar with marriage to an Mbaise girl would find this story hard to believe because getting married to an Mbaise girl is probably the most expensive marriage in Nigeria.  My Late father in-law was a very extra ordinary and noble gentleman.  His kind doesn’t happen commonly and not many are privileged to be as lucky as I am to have had him as my father in-law.  Once Mary spoke to her parents about me, because of their love for her and their confidence in her judgement, I was accepted without any of the usual traditional protocols.  I simply made the traditional initial introductory visit with a few bottles of drink.  When I enquired about details of the real traditional rites, my father in-law simply said to me that I should not be in a hurry because I would need a few years to be able to cope with the cost implications of that.  He said it was not a business for a one month old graduate.  He was right and gracious.  When we finally performed the full rites in 1982, it was clear that the Royal Father knew what he was talking about.  We were ready and fulfilled the traditional rites in style and pomp but in full appreciation of the magnanimity and greatness of the mind, attitude and disposition of my father in-law HRH Eze (Barr.) B.S.C. Nzenwa. Over the years we became so close that I regarded him as a father, firend, confidant and political guide.

 

Dr. Peter Odili and family

DRAMA

Odili delves into the drama that heralded the arrival of their first daughter beginning with a difficult Chief Inspector who doubted their marriage to effect a reposting to Benin. According to him “the ground was now set for the building of a new nuclear family of Mary and Peter Odili by end of August 1977.  We tried to arrange the transfer of Mary’s posting to Benin City from Abeokuta but had to grapple with the reluctance of a difficult Chief Inspector, a Mr. Shoyege who even had the impudence of doubting the veracity of our marriage certificate.  Anyway, we eventually secured a transfer for Mary with a four month extension for frequent trips out of Abeokuta to Benin City.  We were glad and relieved to be together in Benin City and saved the risk of me traveling after call-duties. Mary finished her NYSC service in September 1978 as I was starting mine, but luckily at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) Benin City.  It was convenient for us to then settle down for the next on year together under one roof in UBTH which became our first home as husband and wife.  Adaeze our first child arrived one month ahead of schedule on the 19^th of July 1979, a new family was fully born.

 MORE DRAMA

“However, before Ada came.  Mary and I went through a nightmarish experience as a young couple.  Mary was pregnant for what could have been our first, in early 1978.  At her 26^th week of pregnancy, a week after her antenatal clinic visit, without any premonition, she had a full blown eclampsia and was in a coma for 3 days.  It took God’s Grace and the extreme professional commitment of the staff of University of Benin Teaching Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology (UBTH O & G) department to save her life.  We lost the baby but I was grateful to God for sparing Mary.

 Those days of Mary in coma are days I could never forget.  I was in a frightened daze for 3 days until Mary came round.  I could neither touch a cup of water nor tea, take my bath, nor change my clothes as I simply could not leave the ward.  I simply ignored all entreaties.  Mary’s consultant now Prof. Fidelis Micheal E. Diejomaoh, and his team.  Prof. Linus N Ajabor, was then head of department, under whom I worked as an intern for 3 months, their wives and associates like Adesua Eimunjeze, who were non-medical people, all got involved in managing the emergency.  We shall remain eternally grateful to all of them for the extra ordinary love, friendship and commitment they exhibited during those most dreadful days of crisis in our early married life.  We have since then become very close family friends and developed ties that have endured till date and they are permanent guests at every important event in our lives since then.

 FIRST PRIVATE PRATICE

Young Dr. Peter Odili had made up his mind early to pursue the practice of his course of study as soon as he got qualified. He narrates that; “by August 1979, as I was concluding my NYSC assignment in UBTH, I secured employment at Hebgreen Medical and Dental Centre in Port-Harcourt, having made up my mind to go home to my State of origin, Rivers, and get into the private medical sector.  This decision was not as easy as it sounds because in the course of two years of work in UBTH I had made good impressions on my consultants and so had offers for residency programmes from the departments of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Medicine and Psychiatry. Rejecting these offers from a centre of excellence as UBTH at that time, was neither easy to make nor easy to understand by others.  But I was clear in my mind about what I wanted to do with my medical career and the future.  So, I headed home to PH and started work as a staff physician on a monthly salary of N1,000 at Hebgreen Medical and Dental Centre, 130 Bonny Street, Port-Harcourt under the Late Dr. H.E.B. Green, a very fine gentleman, dental consultant and physician –at ex-military officer.

Mary was now a nursing mother with Adaeze just a few weeks old and so I had to quickly arrange for them to join me in Port Harcourt, immediately, by the end of September 1979 had settled down fully in Port Harcourt.

THE BIRTH OF PAMO

“Within my first month of stay in Port Harcourt, I took a survey of the medical facilities available in the city and my findings informed my advice to my dear wife to be extremely careful about our domestic hygiene and health related issues.  By April 1980 I was compelled by principle to voluntarily resign my appointment with Hebgreen.  I then set up a new practice under the supervision of Late Dr. James Ene Henshaw (a retired director of medical services in Rivers State), as the clinician in charge.  This was the birth of what later became Pamo clinics (acronym for Peter Adaeze Mary and Others) when I attained the then statutory post qualification age of 5 years for independent private practice by 1982 in a rented flat of N4,800.00 p.a. the floor tiles of which I personally laid.  The first year was very tough. Mary and I had to judiciously apply every kobo that we could save from the practice and from her meager monthly salary of N320 to sustain the practice.  By 1984, PAMO Clinics and Hospitals Group became a Limited Liability Company and had earned her first million naira and had become one of the best-run private hospitals in Port Harcourt, if not the best.

 IN LOVE WITH UBTH

“Our three other children Chinelo, Peter and Njideka were born at nearly equal time spacing of between 15-18 months in between births, By Mary’s 52^nd birthday she had become the happy mother of 4 kids.  All were delivered by caesarean birth at the UBTH Benin- City except for our last child Njide who was delivered at Prof. Ajabor’s Anita Summit Hospital Benin City.  All our kids were delivered by Prof. F.M.E. Diejomah.  This implied of course that we were travelling from Port Harcourt to Benin City for ante-natal care and delivery between 1980 and 1984, a clear testament of our faith in the staff and facilities at the UBTH at the time, especially Prof. F.M.E. Diejomah and the O & G department of UBTH.  The years between 1980 and 1984 were very busy and laborious for us, raising our lovely kids, Mary working hard as a magistrate and me building the practice that had become a reference centre in town with not less than 3 teaching hospital consultants popping in on a daily basis to see special patients and partake in the daily pounded yam lunch that Mary personally prepared with her special fresh fish Nsala soup (an Ndoni special treat) and other soups.

 MILLIONAIRE DOCTOR

This period saw us grow from a young struggling couple to comfortable young millionaire parents of 4 kids and employers of labour, owners of a country home, purpose – built hospital and staff quarters.  We graduated from self-driven Lada car to a brand new Mercedes Bens 200 air-conditioned and tinted glasses, metallic green colour imported in December 1981.  Mary also had her official car and driver.  We had, by the Grace of God, arrived, as the saying goes and had become a source of help and succor to our extended family relations and friends.  One of the remarkable turning points in our affairs and the progress of our hospital during this period was the rapid growth in patient attendance following our offer of free treatment to all staff and students of Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) at its inception in 1981 under the Rectorship of monsignor Ezeanya, later Archbishop of blessed memory.  This was in response to the appeal by the rector to CKC Onitsha Old Boys Association PH for support to the insatiate.  The rector was an old student of CKC.  We volunteered this free service as our personal contribution to CIWA, and we believe God in response blessed PAMO.

FORMER IGP SIR MIKE OKIRO SPEAKS ON LIFE IN RETIREMENT

SECRETS OF MY SUCCESS AS POLICEMAN

*****For joining the Police, my father once regretted wasting time and money training me in the university

Since his retirement from Nigeria Police Force where he still ranks as one of the most erudite Nigerian IGPs with many academic laurels in his kitty, former Inspector General of Police and former Chairman Police services commission Sir (Dr.) Mike Mbamaonyeukwu Okiro has never sat down to relieve his life as he has done here in this chat with FRED IWENJORA.

How can you describe life after your retirement from active police service?

It has been an interesting experience after going through the hustle and bustle of life as a police officer and now retired and home probably on your own doing your own things and managing your own affairs waking up when you like or going to bed when you want as compared to the life as a police officer when you had to be up on your toes ready to obey the last orders, carry out duties, going for operations etc. You leave for work in the morning not knowing when you would return. As a police officer, you really don’t have time for yourself or family. You only have time for others, your job and duty. There is a wide range of difference between the two callings. I am very grateful that I served my country and left without blemish and in that manner; I equally served myself and very well.

Considering events between your point of entry into the force and departure, you must be feeling highly favoured…?

I feel very highly favoured and grateful to God. My gratitude knows no bounds. If you read my biography you will read where I wrote about my calling into the police, my service and retirement. I never expected things that way and never did any one expect it that way apart from those who have absolute faith in Almighty God. What I went through beforerecruitment, during recruitment, to my training, to service in the Force and to IGP and to retirement are things of which I must be grateful to God. I look at myself as highly favoured by God so I thank God; so much for that.

Could you refresh the readers mind as to issues surrounding your point of entry into the force because most have not read your biography?

For the purposes of time constrain, I will just make it as brief as possible. I joined the police  ..do I say by choice or by providence? To start with, I did not like the police as a students’ union activist. Even after Youth service I still did not like the police. Should I say I joined the Police by adventure? It is a long story.

You may have to make it short sir….

During my youth service which I did at Maiduguri in 1976/77, journey from Maiduguri to Port Harcourt took four days. One had to first travel to Jos with the North East line in one day. From Jos, one did the Benue Plateau Transport to Onitsha for another day before boarding to Owerri by Oriental Line in another day. It was on the fourth day that you got to Port Harcourt with the Rivers State Transport Corporation. A corps member was entitled to only a five days’ pass. So one could not take a five days pass for a four days one- way journey. So I did not take a pass in one year and was totally disconnected from my parents and siblings in Port Harcourt coupled with the fact that there were no telephones only telegrams atimes. This worried me much. While brooding about my situation, I saw an advert on Daily Times calling for young graduates to join the police force. A friend of mine even told of how his brother was taken in a flight from Kano where he was serving to attend Police recruitment in Lagos. I reasoned that if they would fly me to Lagos, I might quickly dash to Port Harcourt to see my parents and siblings as the journey would be shorter. About 30 of us applied but only four of us were invited for interview in Lagos. The police sent a Peugeot station wagon driven by an inspector with two armed escorts as there was no airport in Maiduguri in those days. After the interview in Lagos, I was the only one taken. I told the Inspector that I wanted to travel to Port Harcourt to see my parents but he said no way. His instruction was to take us to Lagos and returnto Maiduguri. I told him I was not asking for money for my fare to Port Harcourt but capital NO was his answer as he was acting on orders.  I wallowed in the thoughts that I had wasted my time going to Lagos. I did not enjoy the return journey to Maiduguri.

By the end of my NYSC, I had about seven jobs waiting for me including the job at the Federal Ministry of Education as lecturer 2 having studied English at the University of Ibadan, a job at the Customs also waited for me, just as the University of Port Harcourt kept a graduate Assistant job for me. That was not all; the Rivers State Civil Service wanted me, the School of Basic Studies Maiduguri wanted me as a lecturer.

Aside these, I also had a place at the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation publishers of The Tide in the Features Department where I had been contributing while still an undergraduate and then this police job.

I was in serious consideration of which job to take. The School of Basic Studies Maiduguri was the highest paid. I was to be placed on level 9 while at the Rivers State Civil Service, I was to be placed on level 8 step 2.

All these jobs were to begin September 4^th after the passing out from national service. I was on the move home to Port Harcourt through Jos as service terminated. This time I decided to see my old childhood friend and sleep on a bed rather than wait around at the garage at Jos with the intention of catching the 6; 00 am bus to Onitsha. But alas, I overslept and got to the park so late that the bus had gone without me.  I then decided to while away the time touring the Tin city. One of the notable places I chose to visit was the Police staff college which was just about then recently completed. News about the college filtered when I was selected for the police training I did not care about.  When I arrived at the college, shouts of Okiro..Okiro rent the air. I wondered who knew me at the college despite that I was a student activist at UI. It was congratulations all the way as some members of the course 5 had seen my name on the board as potential police officers of course 6 asking when I was coming to join them in training. I told them I was not coming anyway. It was about 26th of August and I knew that before I completed my three days journey to Port Harcourt and enjoyed a vacation, it would have been late to join the training. Yet they called the training officer to intimate him of my presence pleading that he gave me time to report since I might not be able to report on the 1^st of September. I told the officer I would return on the 9^th. He made me put it in writing and the Commandant approved. I told myself while signing that letter; nonsense and ingredient (general laughter). When I returned to my friend’s house I told him what had transpired and why I would not join the police. I caught the bus next day and was with my parents enjoying a vacation with the intention of joining the Tide or Rivers State Civil Service. When my father asked me what next, there was no mention of the police because he would scream. He loved me to join the Rivers State Civil Service in the hope that I would one day make it to the Perm Sec position by the special grace of God.While reveling in P.H, a friend of mine visited me and asked me about my job offers and what I planned next. I told him all that were on my table including the police offer and he shouted ‘how manage?!. He said he had tried the police more than three times and no one looked his way wondering whom I knew that helped me secure the offer. He told me police was his best choice of all the offers open to me. I became more confused after he left and started asking ‘God what do I do?’ It was then I took pieces of paper and wrote all the offers, squeezed them and told myself that the first I pick would be it. I picked up my Rosary and knelt down in prayers asking for God to help my choice and give me the best. I closed my eyes and picked one of the folded papers. Behold, the first I picked and unwrapped was the police so I said God has chosen a career for me. I quickly packed my bag and told my mum on the next day that I was off to Jos to join the police. She said Ok. On the day I traveled, my dad was entertaining his guests and perhaps was too busy to understand what I was thinking on that day, he said ‘safe journey’. I arrived Jos 19^th of September, a whole nineteen days after my mates had resumed course and ten days later than I had applied for permission. Again, when I arrived, resumed, no one said you are late. All these make me feel my joining the police was divine choice made for me by God.

The drama did not end there. It continued about a week after when the course officer came to class one day to announce ‘who is Mike Okiro?’ I answered and he marshalled me to his office and started a series of interviews on my personal data which I told him to see in my file. He later pulled his drawers to hand to me, a telegram announcing that my dad was seriously sick and that I should proceed home immediately. My mind started going places. ‘Has my father died?’ In my area and in many parts of Africa, it is normal not to announce death directly. My course officer told me to apply for casual leave. I did. However when I got back to the hostel, Ipulled out the telegram again and read it thoroughly..’father seriously sick proceed immediately signed Samuel Okiro. I wondered that a dead man could not sign any telegram. Confusion reigned on that day that I went straight to my friend in Jos to announce how I felt. He opted to travel with me to Port Harcourt. When we arrived P.H we met my father hale and hearty and chatting and drinking with his friends as usual. I greeted him and asked about my mother whom he said was at the kitchen. When I went to meet her at the kitchen, she said ‘your father is not happy with you for joining the police. It was then I got the message clearly. I went to join my friend and we went to town and returned very late in the evening.

As soon as we returned, my father ordered me to ‘Sit down’

‘So you joined the police?’ I said ‘yes sir’. Continuing he said ‘Is that what we discussed and agreed upon?’ I did not know what to say. I was tongue tied. He said ‘if you knew you were going to join the police, you should not have allowed me to waste my time and money to train you in the university. I can disclaim you right away’ he thundered. I summoned up courage and told him ‘sir, I am your son, I listen and obey your instructions but there are two things you should concede to me’. He said ‘what are they?’. I said one is the woman I marry and the second is the job I choose to do. These choices are solely mine, I told him. He kept quiet for sometime and later went to bed. But he woke me up again at about 5 am. He told me he had thought over our discussions the previous night and realized that his son had become mature to face the world. He said I should kneel down for his prayers if it is the police I love to join. I knelt down and he prayed for me. After I had said Amen, we left for Jos, my friend and I and I continued with my training.

 

What do you consider as your greatest challenge on the job? 

My greatest challenge on the job was when I was transferred from Benue state to Lagos as Commissioner of Police. In this area I also see confirmation that God chose the job for me. I had not spent a few weeks in Makurdi before the IGP Musliu Smith moved me to Lagos. I arrived Lagos August 2, 1999. By the end of that same August, I got info that Late head of state SaniAbacha’s son Mohammed, Major Al Mustapha and co were to appear in court in Lagos for the death of KudiratAbiola. Some press friends had called me to confirm the story. I said it was not true because I had no directive to that effect. After all I was CP and should know before any one. By the next morning I saw on television that the Igbosere court area had been overrun by militant OPC who were threatening to burn the accused suspects whenever they appeared in Lagos. I saw men with cudgels, others with knives and machetes as well as other dangerous weapons including petrol preparatory to lynch the suspects when they came to court. At about 9pm the IGP called me to give directives that I should provide security for the men when they came to court the next day in Lagos. Wow. I did not have manpower in Lagos, I didn’t have weapons and more so, I just arrived. There were no vehicles, no teargas, nothing. How do I handle this? If I needed reinforcement, it would only come from Ogun state or Oyo. How could I get people at Abeokuta or Ibadan at so late a time as 9 pm. If I had manpower, how many people would I kill at Igbosereif the Black Maria was attacked? With the scene I saw on televison at Igbosere, it is possible, the suspects may have been burnt before help could come. I was clearly in distress. I knelt down again as usual and brought out my Rosary and prayed to God again. I said ‘Sir, I didn’t want to join the police. Only you chose this job for me. So here I am. Is this how I will end the carreer you chose for me? Please sir, show me the way and I said Amen. By the time I said the Amen, an idea came to me to change the venue of the court appearance. Lagos had many courts in its judicial districts including Ikeja, Badagry and Epe etc. and any of the courts could take the matter. So I called the IGP to discuss my idea. I told him Ikeja would be fine and he directed me to get in touch with the Chief Judge of Lagos. I directed the DPO Ikoyi who is now a DIG to go and see the Chief Judge but he went and said the Chief Judge was on leave. I got back to the IGP who said I should get in touch with the Registrar who also wanted to know why and where I wished to change the trial to. I told him what I saw at Igbosere was maddening. I also told him Ikeja would be fine and he asked that we see one man at Ikeja. The time was about 2 am.  I offered that the court should sit at 6 am but he countered that courts start sitting at 9 am and any earlier sitting would create problems. I called the IG again who directed that the media must cover the trial and that the lawyers of the defence must be present. I reached out to the defence attorney Barrister Akpamgbo SAN who was far away in Enugu but he agreed to send his representative and did send. As early as 6 am I stationed an amoured personnel carrier at Igbosere area with the order to stop and search every vehicle entering Lagos Island and Ikoyi as I directed. This was a decoy for people to believe that Igbosere was the venue for the court appearance. When the aircraft from Abuja landed with Mohammed Abacha and co, I ordered the Black Maria that took them to just park behind the Airport Police station. The driver was not to leave his vehicle for any reason. At 9 am, the leader of the team standing by at the Ikeja court reported that all was set so I used my walkie talkie to radio the Black Maria to proceed to Magistrate Court 1 Ikeja, venue for the appearance. None knew what each other was doing except me. I proceeded to the court with a team of about seven men. When the case was called, the accused pleaded not guilty so they were moved to Ikoyi. I continued to be in touch with the driver of the Black Maria who called to tell me that he arrived Ikoyi prisons safely. I then called the senior officer coordinating at Igbosere to disband as operation was over. You could see that the big problem was solved for me by God with my bare hands, no teargas, no weapons and no shots fired. I still consider that as one of my greatest challenges in the force. It reinforced my belief that God chose this career for me. The OPC would have caused big problems for me, the police and the nation at large on that day.

The Rosary seems to be your basic companion…?

Yes it is ooo and I am very proud to fling it out any time any day. I can remember it was Yinka Craig of Blessed memory who in an interview asked me what was my ‘greatest push in life’. I dipped my hand inside my pocket and produced my Rosary. Indeed it is what pushes me in life. If you read my biography, you will see more. There were very frustrating situations which later ended up in very beautiful ways when I pray The rosary. My journey with the Rosary started very early. It continued during my years at the Seminary. I missed becoming a catholic father. But I may not miss the early morning mass. The rosary has become so much a part of me and seems to work miracles for me when the chips are down.

Did you see your appointment as IGP coming?

Well, I never saw it coming despite that everyone dreams, hopes and aspires to grow to be so appointed. My appointment was dramatic. I was with a friend at Maitama watching television when my PA called me around 10pm to tell me that OgbonnayaOnovo had been appointed IGP. After his call, we switched on to NTA to see the breaking news that DIG OgbonnayaOnovo had been made acting IGP. As we lived within same vicinity, I stopped by at his quarter to congratulate him adding that my wife and I would come the next day. He informed me that all DIGs should be at Eagle Square to pull out retiring IGP Ehindero at 8 a.m. I always went to mass every morning. I said to myself I had a choice to go to mass or to leave the mass and go to Eagle Square. I asked myself which was more important. I reasoned that I might be late at Eagle square or miss the morning mass for good. I concluded that I should go to mass and thank God that President Yar’adua did not choose an AIG which would have been early retirement for me as well as many other DIGs. I decided that God deserved praises that I am still keeping my job. I went to mass, concluded, at 8 am and arrived the Force Headquarters at about 8;30 to see that all the DIGs were waiting for me. It was Onovo who called attention for me and I was shocked. An acting IGP calling attention for me? Something must be fishy I concluded. I wondered why Onovo whom I knew from Police Staff College should be calling attention for me. Was he mistaking me for someone else? I had known OgbonnayaOnovo since we joined the force. On this day in history, I took the compliments anyway and we all headed to Eagle Square. Whiletaking briefing from Ehindero in his office, my PA came to me to whisper to me that the President wished to talk to me. I shuddered. I took the phone and it was the voice of the ADC who said the president wanted to see me at 4pm adding that I should be there at 3;30 pm. I returned to Onovo and told him ‘sir, I am wanted at the Villa, please pray for me o. Please don’t tell Ehindero because they might laugh scornfully at me’. I left my office at 3;15 pm and by 3;30, I was at the President’s office. He said ‘welcome..you are my acting IGP’. When I left the Villa, the first person I went to meet was Onovo. When I told him what happened, he told me it was the reason he called attention for me earlier. He told me the Chief of staff to the president called him to tell him that Okiro was the IGP and not him.

Now having been up and down, back and forth and retired, you must be feeling somehow that members of your force have become targets for the entire populace in the past few years?

It is indeed very sad to note. The police seem to be a common denominator for hatred by the masses. I wrote an article recently where I said the Police is the face of government. Africans vent their anger on unpopular leadership on the police. The police takes the blame because he is the only one seen. The history of the Nigeria Police tells the story of the colonial masters who established a police to help them in tax collection and enforcing colonial laws on Nigerians. Nigerians see the police as the people who make them do what they hate to do or stop them from doing what they like to do. They forget that the police man only enforces the law. If we are all driving in mufti, no one would know that I am Mike Okiro except if I am wearing uniform. So I can say that hatred for the police is transferred aggression on leadership. The attack on the police is because they are visible enforcers of government laws.

Any advice you can give on this?

My advice is that some retired officers who are still sound and healthy be sought and brought to contribute their know-how on the security situation in the country. Nigeria should bring them together to share their knowledge rather than bringing foreigners who know next to nothing about Nigeria and may not understand the world view and character of the people as to proffer solution to our security problems. It is a difficult task but it is not impossible.    

First published in Saturday Vanguard