Hello,

How are you preparing for the last quarter of the year 2021? I’m sure you still have a few things you’d like to accomplish before the year ends. Well, we still have four months to get things done.

As we approach the “ember” months, the security of the people of Oyo State has been on my mind. Typically, crime rates increase in these months. However, vigilance can go a long way in ensuring that we are protected. If you live in Oyo State, don’t forget to use the 615-emergency call number if you spot any suspicious activity. It is free.

But when we think of more long-term solutions to security problems in our country, I am an advocate of state policing. The governors of each state should be in charge of the police in their various states.

I am also aware of some of the arguments raised against state policing. One of which is that governors will abuse the privilege. Of course, we cannot rule out that possibility. But if the End SARS protests of last year have taught us anything, it is the fact that under the federal policing structure, the police were still used to brutalise, terrorise, kill and maim. In fact, under the current arrangement, if a governor “aligns” with the centre, he will have the police at his beck and call anyway.

The truth is that every power given to leaders at all levels can potentially be abused, but that will not stop us from choosing leaders. Instead, it should make us more reflective about who we choose as leaders. And so, after weighing the pros and cons, I remain firmly on the side of state policing.

I believe that if the constitution is amended to make room for state policing, the process of restructuring the police force will be less cumbersome. Also, when one state restructures its police, other states will be forced by peer pressure to do the same.

Even now, we see states in competition. When one state adopts a new way of doing things, other states begin to copy. This is the kind of positive influence and transformation Oyo State will continue to bring into governance while I remain governor. As we say here ‘Ajisebi Oyo laari”. We are putting systems in place that will ensure that even when we leave, a lot of the things we are doing now will be continued. But I digress.

This month, I am reading “Policing in a Corrosive Environment” by CSP Ojomo Francis Yemi, the Commander of the Oyo State Environmental Task Force. His book gives us an inside view of the history and workings of the Nigeria Police Force. As I read through the first chapter of this book, the question that was on my mind was, “Who is policing us?”

Historically, people condemned as either slaves or the never-do-wells of society were used to police Nigerians. According to CSP Ojomo, this was by design. The colonialists wanted people who did not have any ties with the community or who had scores to settle with the community to police them. That was the only way they would be willing to carry out their recruiters’ “mercantilist interests”.

Today, we see this mindset carried over into the federal police structure. Ranking officers in each state are usually from another part of the country as a result they usually don’t have close ties with members of the community they are policing.

Additionally, the reputation of the police has forced a majority of well-meaning people to stay away from pursuing a career with them. For example, would you encourage your child to join the Nigerian police? If we are not attracting the smartest among us to protect us, how do we expect to reform the police?

I will leave you with these thoughts for this week. If you can find a copy of this book, please read along with me. The book is just five chapters long, so it should be a very quick read.

Please stay safe!