We are our Police Force

There is a police officer that controls traffic on a road I drive. With his police hat on, he looks like he is in his thirties. Sometime ago, as I drove by, he removed the hat and I realized that he could not be more than 23 or 24 years old and I wondered why such a young lad would join the police force.The Nigerian Police is the most reviled organization in Nigeria. Everyone loves to hate the Police. The reason for this hatred lies at the feet of the Police. Yet, it is not their fault.The Nigerian Police is a microcosm of our society. Their corruption, failings, befuddled thinking, ineptitude and lack of direction is a reflection of what we are as a people.The Police Force states her  objectives as:
-       Protecting the lives and property of fellow citizens and impartially enforce the law
-      Fighting crime both by preventing it and by aggressively pursuing violators of the law
-      Maintaining a higher standard of integrity than is generally expected of others because so much is expected of us
-      Valuing human life, respect the dignity of each individual and render our services with courtesy and civility
Of course the Police has not met any of these objectives because the foundation of the Nigerian Police is flawed. In the First Republic, when regional police forces existed, they were used for political intimidation of opponents by the government in power. When the Military took over and unified the police force, the art  and science of policing was not developed. In fact, it deteriorated.  I would say that the military deliberately under developed the Police. Basic systems such as a comprehensive Police database, kitting, training and development of Police officers was (and is lacking). Our Police Force lacks proper intelligence and investigation skills; if you commit a crime in Epe and move to Badagry, you rest assured that you would never be caught but if you are innocent and are in the wrong place you may become a government ward. I recall the case of  a lady that was condemned to death because she befriended a cultist. If proper investigation was done, this lady had no reason to spend 12 years in Kirikiri Maximum Prison.  You can also walk into a Police Station and get a Police report for anything for N3000 ($20). 

The ease of recruitment into the Force is incredible. I recall the distant relative who joined the Force because there was nothing else. The unfortunate thing is that this guy may become a Commissioner of Police tomorrow with no interest and skills in the profession and a dangerous tool in the hands of a childish Executive. 

The failings of the Nigerian Police Force are endless. Nevertheless, things cannot remain the same. We need to recognize that the Police Force that we have is what we made them. This recognition should spur us to do better-better in rebuilding the foundation for a good police force. When the report on the appalling state of the police barracks ran, the government responded by censuring the officers who spoke to the press.That censure was the wrong message. The government should have used that opportunity to effect changes starting from the Police Barracks.

To solve our Police Problem, the government should have an intervention fund for the police. This fund should be for proper renovation (and not just painting) of Police stations and Barracks. The sign that welcomes you to a Police Station is “Police is your friend”. I don’t feel that friendship when I walk into a Police Station.

Apart from physical renovation, our Police officers have to re-trained. It may be difficult to straighten a bent crayfish but nothing is impossible. Our officers have to learn that 2+2 is not 5, that cases are not black and white and that the person who gets their story in first is not always right. If you think that the police scenes in movies are made for movies, wait until you engage a police officer.
After physical, systems and mental changes are made,economic and status motivations have to be put in place so that our police force attracts the “better” that may be developed to become the best.

Our Police Force would never be perfect- that is a tall order. However, they would no longer be toys for soldiers, errand boys for politicians and powerful and they would no longer brutalize we civilians for 20 naira or arrest us indiscriminately.

It is time to build the Police Force that we want.

Answers anyone?

Have you noticed the propaganda ads for Mrs Allison Madueke when you visit Nigeria sites? Forms of Oceania’s Ministry of Truth are springing up here

Update:
The Punch Newspapers has this story on the state of Nigeria's Police Force as at December, 2013. Sigh. 

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A "Problem" shared

I visited the Children Development Centre (CDC) and the Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care Centre (MDCMC) recently. At the CDC, I discovered great cookies, meat pies and affordable scented candles; at MDCMC I met a lady who painted with her legs.Teenagers and adults that suffer different stages of autism, mental retardation and learning disabilities made the cookies, pies and candles.

I left both centres impressed because in spite of their mental disabilities these students have found a purpose and are useful. However, that visit exposed me to an issue I did not know existed. As a people we hide under the everything-is-fine-banner. The Yoruba adage that “all lizards lie flat on their belly, you don’t know which one has an ache” is true. I learned that parents hid their children who suffered from these conditions from others because they are ashamed they birthed these children. At the center, I met a 38-year old who stepped outside her house for first time when she started at the Center. She was not the only one. That’s the story of most of the kids. At MDCMC, some of the kids have been abandoned there by their parents or guardians. Consequently, these kids are deprived of education and interactions outside their immediate family- who view them as a burden- or  emasculate them thereby increasing their dependency.

 The challenge with keeping up appearances is that it is emotionally, socially and financially draining. Conditions that may be ameliorated if parents and guardians spoke up and sought help are worsened. If therapy begins early, some children are able to catch up and live semi- normal lives. For instance, there is much hope for the year old baby at the center who has begun treatment. Even the 38 year old has been able to develop the mental abilities of a 4 year old.

 Coming out on these issues helps parents and guardians know that they are not alone and provides support from others who share the same conditions. Speaking up also helps  some of the kids with less severe cases while children that suffer more serious cases learn to become useful.

Parents and guardians should realize that they would not always be there for these kids and the kids may not get the kind of care they (parents) would give. Thus, it is in their best interests to plan for the financial and social future of these kids.  Exposing their kids would make others feel comfortable with them and would let the kids know that they are wanted and special.

There is no shame in having a child that has a developmental disability. You did not choose it, wish it or pray for it but like life's other challenges, rather than run or hide it is better to face it.

Kids who suffer disabilities may not live normal lives, nevertheless, they do not deserve to be hid. My visit to the two centers opened my eyes to the possibilities these children have. I am assured that when they close and go home at the end of the day, they go home with a sense of fulfillment. We all deserve to feel that way. 

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The Road not taken

Hi all, 
Enjoy. Have a blessed week

Heroes
We are all fascinated with heroes and heroines. I fantasize about becoming superhuman and saving the world. I guess that is why the Marvel movies (Dark Knight, Iron man, Avengers, and now Superhuman) resonate with us. I find it interesting that people would believe in Spider-man types  than believe  that Jesus is the Saviour. We even call miracles- Providence! I watch these movies and see similarities in the characters and the faith i profess. The only difference is that Jesus would not destroy property to save 2 people. Some scenes and quotes in Superman have stuck with me so here we go. 

-  Jor el's ( Russel Crowe) speech on freedom of choice

- After Clark was bullied, his dad asked how he was doing and he says "Dad I wanted to hurt him, I wanted to hurt him bad and his dad replied then what and said  "You’re not just anyone.  One day, you’re going to have to make a choice.  You have to decide what kind of man you want to grow up to be.Whoever that man is, good character or bad, it’s going to change the world"

" Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith first, the trust part comes later"

"People are afraid of what they don't understand"

The road less travelled
There are two routes that link the highway home. I noticed that there is always traffic on the straight and smooth road home whilst the bumpy-three-potholes- route has no traffic. I have ruminated on why people wait in that traffic for the green light when the other route is faster. I have attributed drivers' behaviour to 2 things. First, the road is smoother and second is the i-am-already-here- let's-just- wait mentality and its sister what-if-the-other-side-is blocked. I believe people adopt the same attitude towards life. We fear changes, we are content in our comfort zone and would avoid the uncertainty of trying a new path. Like Robert Frost wrote in the Road not Taken, Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference. For me, the difference is that I get home in good time.

Answers anyone

Why do we start requests with "Sorry to bother you" "Apologies for disturbing you" and still go ahead with the request?
Why does the brazenness of "First Lady's" office  increase as a new first lady emerges? We thought there was no one like Mariam Abacha, there was respite with Fati Abubakar and since then, successive first ladies have surprised us with the powers they commandeer. 

See you next week.

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One day

The Rhodes- Vivour Kidnap incident had an amusing element. Newspapers reported that though the family paid the demanded ransom, the Rhodes- Vivours were not released because the families of the other kidnapped victims were yet to pay. They were held till all families paid. At the "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrations, a placard read “one day the poor would have nothing left to eat but the rich”. That time is here in Nigeria. We appear to be sitting ducks waiting our time.Recently, a family who went to pick up their son from the airport lost their ten year-old son to a stray bullet; a man was shot dead on a Sunday morning whilst trying to protect his wife from men harassing her at an ATM; a colleague whose parent was kidnapped was not released till a ransom was paid; 16 students and teachers were murdered in the North.  We have heard so many stories of kidnap, bombings and assault that we have become numb and resigned. All we do is hold our hands up to God to protect us. I wonder if the government’s failure to be responsible gives people the right to feel entitled.

The question to answer is what do we do? For the individual, it is to be careful and cautious. For those who have relationships with people in power, this is the time to tell them to do right because once you leave your house, your fate is the same as the next man’s. That said, the solution to this problem lies with the government. The state of insecurity we are in today is the result of our leaders' failure to use resources to create value and  benefits for the people. Our leaders have created pockets of wealthy people, such that the chasm between the "haves" and "have-nots" is so wide that the haves-not have given up hope and turned on the hustling haves. Yet our leaders are not insulated because they would not hold offices forever.Whilst there are other factors responsible for the present state of insecurity, I believe that economic deprivation and poverty plays a large role in where we are. The earlier our arrested development problem  is addressed, the better for us. The government has to  invest in infrastructure - physical and institutional - that allows people engage in more productive activities. All things being equal, if I am assured of power; available and decent transport, affordable and liveable housing; good roads, good hospitals with working facilities, and a legal and enforcement system that is just, I would not wake up one morning and kill another being because I am frustrated or feel threatened.I am assured that with all our flaws, a significant number of Nigerians are hard-working and creative. It is not in our culture to be lazy or dependent. The Yorubas say “the well-being of the tree, is the well-being of the bird”. Governors are allocated huge amounts as monthly security votes; these monies should be put to better use than patronage. Creating safety nets for all and not just a few family members and friends who do not benefit, anyway (getting your distant cousin on poverty alleviation programme or giving her N20,000 is not a viable means of survival).I believe that Nigeria’s development phase  is at the right time because other nations have gone before us and have created examples of what to do and what not to do to develop. Ours should be a case of picking a dress at a store and fitting it to suit us.

I close with the words of Joseph Stiglitz “development is not about helping a few people get rich or creating a handful of pointless protected industries that only benefit the country’s elite; it is not about bringing in Prada and Benetton, Ralph Lauren or Louis Vuitton, for the urban rich  and leaving the rural poor in their misery….. Development is about transforming societies, improving the lives of the poor, enabling everyone to have a chance at success and access to health care and education”.One day the poor would have nothing left to eat but the rich.

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The Nigerian Character- A mini explanation.

Hello people, 

Been a minute- actually more than a minute. 

Many times I  wonder why we act the way we do. For instance, I know I cannot afford something yet when I am asked, I say yes. 

Abraham Maslow a psychologist famous for "the theory of Human motivation" writes that there are 5 stages of human needs- biological & physiological needs, safety needs, love/belonging needs, esteem needs and self- actualization needs. These needs are divided into deficiency (d-needs) and being (b- needs). Deficiency needs are physiological, safety, belonging and esteem needs.  Maslow asserts that because we lack these needs we always want to fulfill them else we are dissatisfied. He also says that these needs are addressed in a linear manner. Thus, when i meet my physiological (food, shelter, clothing) needs, I move to safety ( job security) needs until I achieve esteem and self-actualization needs. However, I believe that our physiological, safety and belonging needs are intertwined.

You should already wonder why this short course in psychology.  I am interested because:

1) I am trying to understand corruption's staying power and why it seems impossible to tackle 

2) I wonder why people are quick to become Christian-in-name-only, join a club and keep up with the Joneses.   

Why you'd ask? Apart from using corrupt means to satisfy basic physiological and safety needs, being involved in corruption can also help a Nigerian meet their love/belonging needs. There are numerous examples of how people disregard their values for the fear of being ostracized or labelled by others. 

A politician once blamed Nigerians for  making them steal public funds to meet their demands -from requests to sponsor a party to paying of school fees. I read a book where the author - a non- Nigerian married to a Nigerian- felt the need to speak to a colleague on behalf of his niece  who did not meet the required marks for admission into University. He felt compelled because years before he did not "help" her get into the secondary school of her choice. That the author attempted to be a good in-law inspite of his reservations is a nod to our need for belonging and the extent we would go to get it.

In addition, humans try to keep up with the Joneses. Nigeria appears to be a special case. From the middle class who take loans to finance unaffordable lifestyles, people who become Christians and attend certain churches because that is the cool thing to do, to the artisan who rents/buys aso-ebi though his children's fees are yet to be paid shows how we emphasize the material aspects of relationships and how it defines who we are. 

To my mind, Maslow's theory explains a lot about our  Nigerian character and values. These shared traits has become systemic and affects our overall wellbeing. It is said that little drops of water make a mighty ocean. Therefore, redefining what is important to us, saying No when we can't and Yes when we can, letting others realize that there is more to us and more to them with or without (the) Pradas and Kenneth Coles can help us as a society change our attitudes.

As I close,next time someone comes to borrow money, you ask why and she says I want to pay for "aso-ebi" and you wonder why- Maslow may have the answer.

Deuces.

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The Drug Problem

Africa was and still remains an attractive trading route. Pre and post colonialism, African States have provided countries in Asia, Europe and America the route to move goods. Africa’s central location is both a blessing and a curse. It was a curse because it inspired slave trade and colonialism which set us back a few centuries.

In the last 60 plus years, this location has been a curse thanks to illegal drugs. Though the level of drug trade across the continent has not reached Afghanistan or Mexican heights, it is very worrying. Awareness of drugs and drug trade began in the 1980s. However, research show that it has been ongoing since the return of WW2 veterans and the discovery of coca (cocaine) farms in the 1950s. Until the 1980s, the trade went unhindered because European and American officials were unaware of Africa as a new route. Given the levels of unemployment and poverty in the continent, it is imaginable that Africans were lured into the trade for economic benefits.

The last two decades has seen the transformation of Africa has a hub for transportation and consumption of drugs (Cocaine, Cannabis, Marijuana and AMTs). From Guinea- Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Libya to Ghana and Nigeria, we have become exporters and consumers of Methamphetamines, Cannabis, Cocaine and heroin. Globally, the trade generates between 900 million dollars to three billion annually. The UN Drug Commission also reports that about about 35-50 metric tonnes of cocaine are trafficked annually (that is about 2200, 23kg travelling bags) and remember that this is what we know. Recently, 7 people were arrested for carrying large quantities of heroin in Kenya.                                  

Why is drug trade a problem?

Although, drug running is not the cause of Africa’s under development, drug trade makes our already weak and fragile institutions and systems weaker by threatening government authority and the rule of law- fairness, equity and justice. As a researcher observes “illicit drugs is not the main cause of destabilization instead it is a consequence of the pre-existing lack of stability”. Yet, It enables drug peddlers undermine the government. The money drug running provides allows peddlers to buy over the State and get away with anything. Government failure and inefficiency results in less development, more unemployment and more of the ills we currently battle. It shifts the focus from development issues to security issues. Just as corruption gives wealth to a few, the gains of drug trade also give wealth to a few people. Also, drug trade also affects our politics because it enables peddlers influence elections and buy over government officials.

Another reason why drug trade is a problem is terrorist financing; countries like Nigeria and Mali currently battle attacks from insurgent groups. The on going conflict in Mali is a case in point. It is believed that Al-Qaeda in Maghreb (AQIM), ANSAR DINE and AZWAD (the guerrilla groups in Mali) are funded with monies made from drug running. This is highly possible because Mali is known for cocaine trafficking. In 2009, a plane carrying drugs was burnt down after offloading at Tarkint in Northern Mali. The huge funds generated from drug smuggling provide a gigantic source of income for terrorist activities.

Drug running is also a public health issue and this is two-sided. First, there is an increasing number of users. In 2010, the estimated number of drug users is between 22-72 million up from about a million in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This portends health challenges for the continent. Imagine citizens yet to receive adequate treatment for Malaria now grappling with mental, HIV (research shows that drug use and HIV infections are related because of injecting drug use), and other drug related health issues. The second dimension is the discovery of coca and cannabis farms in the continent. Land that should provide food for nutrition is used for drugs.

On the other hand, it is argued that though drug trade is illegal, it is an income- generator as it has economic ripple effects. For instance, a drug peddler would employ people to build his new mansion, spend money at his local supermarket etc. thus creating prosperity for himself and others. A fair argument. However, this “economic benefit” is not lasting and drug peddlers have no reason to be benevolent.

To combat this problem, there is need for strong political will on the part of government. It is believed that African governments are complicit in drug running in their countries. We can recall allegations that some of our past military rulers were drug barons. Therefore, governments have to determine to tackle this problem head on without any sacred cows. In addition, there has to be tighter and stricter border controls. It was reported that over 1000 illegal routes into Nigeria was discovered. This is in addition to our already porous legal border routes. At airports, there has been thorough searching of travellers and drugs have been discovered. The same rigor should be applied to our borders.

Also governments should create public value for their citizens so that there is no incentive to engage in drug trade. That cliché says a stich in time saves nine and that is the case here. In these parts, we usually fail to connect the dots and treat issues as isolated cases. They are not. Drug running is a problem, a problem that causes other problems. It has to be addressed.

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Answers Anyone?

Does lack or deprivation give you a sense of entitlement and the right to expect others do things for you? I ask because on my way home from work I see vagrants who “wash” windscreens expecting you to tip them or just gather around your window begging you for money. These vagrants “select” the people they approach. They would stand around your car window pray and wheedle you. If you do not give them money, they would curse you and leave; if you do, they would still retort something along the lines of you-know-you-will-give-us-money- and-you- made- us- wait-so-long. Likewise, support staff (read: drivers, security men, helps, cleaners, nannies) believe that they are allowed to cheat you, disregard you and not appreciate when you bend over backwards for them  for because you live a better life and it is their right.

Does their sense of deprivation (assumed or real) give them right to the i-am-entitled-to-something-from-you and “you owe me I am taking what is mine” mindset?  Or do the wealthy- the struggling,  the wannabes and truly wealthy owe them?

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Civility

  "We actually tried free will before. After taking you from hunting and gathering to the height of the Roman Empire, we stepped back to see how you'd do on your own. You gave us the dark ages for five centuries until finally we decided we should come back in. The Chairman thought that maybe we just needed to do a better job with teaching you how to ride a bike before taking the training wheels off again. So we gave you raised hopes, enlightment, scientific revolution. For six hundred years we taught you to control your impulses with reason. Then in nineteen ten, we stepped back. Within fifty years you'd brought us world war one, the depression, fascism, the holocaust and capped it off by bringing the entire planet to the brink of destruction in the Cuba missile crisis. At that point the decision was taken to step back in again before you did something that even we couldn't fix".(from the movie the Adjustment Bureau) 

Just an observation I thought to share. It either we are not a civil people and our bad manners was exposed and amplified by social media or that the anonymity of social media has made us lose our manners. Comments on Internet forums, sites and new media both Nigerian and non-Nigerian show disregard for others. The level of incivility displayed is appalling.  The going attitude is my-way-or-the-highway and I-am-always-right-so-therefore…. (fill in the gap). I wonder the consequences of these new values we appear to imbibe.

Everyone is the final authority on everything and is right. The accessibility of the Internet and the ability to do things at the click of a button should come with a sense of responsibility and not recklessness. We can agree to disagree but we should remember to respect one another the same way we would if we are strangers meeting one another for the first time. I wonder why people behave the way they do and I think it is because of:

- The anonymity the Internet affords: I can open multiple accounts with different names and troll sites because most sites do not require identification. If one had to use real names, the case would be different. Recently, a troll in the US was outed. This user was very disrespectful to other users. However, when he was outed, he claimed to be the opposite of his virtual life

- Frustration: A lot of us are idle and frustrated and related to above we easily pick on others. Again related to the above, the Internet affords people an outlet to vent and transfer aggression on others. For instance, someone tweets that my opinion is A, rather than ignore you insult the person.

- Morbidity:  Bad behavior exists on the Internet exists because people are just so morbid that they get thrills from hurting others.

- The herd mentality (follow- follow) also promotes bad behavior on the Internet. Nigerian Internet forums especially Twitter is a case in point. Lola that is my twitter overlord disagrees with Seyi on some issue. Therefore, as a voltron of Lola it is my duty to attack Seyi. Unfortunately for Seyi, Lola has 100,000 followers. Just imagine the censure/ bashing that is sent Seyi’s way.

Anyways, that quote is up there because unlike Thompson and the chairman tried to do, humans are not robots, we have freewill BUT it is up to us to determine what we do with that freewill. Do we want to live and let live whilst still being our brothers keeper? Or do we continue to put down one another?

 Wars have been started, lives have been lost and relationships destroyed because of the wrong word. Incivility is an ill wind that bears no good.

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