There was a bustling of activities at the Lagos State Police Command on the 25th of August 2023. These activities were certainly different from the usual police routine business.
As early as 9 a.m. on that day, senior police officers (SPOs), including area commanders were already seated in the Mohammed Abubakar Conference at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja.
The hall itself wore a new makeup, with the former drabbed and stern look scrubbed and dusted.
There was palpable excitement in the air and the SPOs repeatedly adjusted their seats, preened at their dressing and coughed nervously.
Soon, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Idowu Owohunwa walked sedately into the hall, looking his usual smart and handsome self. He exchanged pleasantries with his men and then sat down alone at the daunting high table.
He glanced at the screen of his phone, he must have seen a message that got him excited, as he stood up saying, “They have arrived! Let’s go downstairs to welcome them.”
Some minutes later, beautiful women, dressed in colourful attire walked into the conference hall.
The much-awaited guests are members of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), and herding the pack was none other than the National President of the association, who is also the wife of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Elizabeth Kayode Egbetokun.
She was closely followed by wives of Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs), Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIG) and wives of Commissioners of Police.
CP Idowu and his wife, Dr. Folayemi Owohunwa were host and hostesses of the day. The discussion at various quarters is that Egbetokun came for a tour of Ogun and Lagos states.
However, Egbetokun, among other things, came to Lagos to join Folayemi in awarding scholarships to some children of police officers.
POWA over the years has shown and proven that it is peopled by empathic and intelligent women and this gesture of awarding grants to deserving children of police officers is proof again of their empathic nature and foresight.
The educational plights of police children after the demise of their fathers have always been an ongoing conversation. It is no longer news that immediately after a policeman dies, the family will be plunged into economic hardship. The widows and children are chased out of barracks leaving them homeless and most times accessing their deceased husbands’ by the widows is a tug-of-war, with some taking years to be accessed, and others not getting it at all due to documentation issues.
Some people have argued that the attendant suffering of police widows and their children after the demise of their breadwinners was among the root causes of corruption in the Nigeria Police Force.
Many of these policemen have been accused of getting involved in illegal activities in order to keep enough for their wives and children in the eventualities of their deaths.
There is no doubt that more needs to be done for the police personnel even while they are still alive to better their lives, again, a lot needs to be done to cushion the attendant socio-economic hardship that hits police personnel’s homes after the death of the head of the family.
This, possibly among others, is the reason someone like the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr Solomon Arase, who is also a retired IGP, has taken to awarding scholarships to children of policemen and giving donations to police widows to help them in starting small scale businesses.
Today, Lagos and national POWA have joined the moving train towards providing and ameliorating the financial burden for Police children.
According to reports, the Lagos POWA scholarship grant is the first in Lagos State and it was initiated by Folayemi. This is in spite of the fact that the command has had several POWA Chairpersons in the past.
The scholarship ceremony was held at POWA Hall, located in the Oduduwa Police, GRA, Ikeja. However, before moving to the POWA Hall, Egbetokun and her entourage stopped over at the State Command.
The stopover was an opportunity for some police personnel to express their feelings on how POWA has impacted their homes, making them better police officers.
The CP Lagos, directly in his speech to Egbetokun, said: “ Our IGP is not just heading the Nigeria Police, he’s also heading the largest police force in Africa, also has a jurisdiction over 200 million citizens.
“My wife, Dr Fola, gives me the peace to do my work. She initiated scholarships to benefit the children of policemen. As policemen, we barely have time to care for our children due to transfers and other factors. You’re Mrs Nigeria Police Force. You’re our first mother and we thank you all for making our lives easier.”
An Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACP), Mr Biye Braide said: “Police job come with tension, I looked at the IGP’s wife. I saw humility and I felt our tension disappearing when she picked up the mic to speak. We know that she will not fail us when we need help.
“We want to thank POWA for the support it has been giving us and we will give everything to make POWA go from height to height. Without our women, we are nothing! When a policeman leaves his home to work, knowing it will be organised by his wife, makes the policeman a conqueror at his duty.”
Another officer, Olajide Agboola also has something to say: “POWA has been what I call a stabilizer at the home front. If the home front is not stable there is no way any policeman can perform well at his duty post. Our job requires us to go on transfers, but our wives take care of the home and children and pray for us. These are very important things that they do and we appreciate them. We plead that you continue to do what you do to make the home front peaceful.”
Another ACP, Ms. Mary Ayim, urged POWA to do more by paying attention to police children in barracks, noting that most often they are the ones arrested for one crime or the other.
Her words: “I feel elated to be associated with POWA. Our men are responsible for your (wives) glowing. I thank the POWA National President, Mrs. Egbetokun because her leadership gave rise to today’s programme. Scholarship beneficiaries should come back to tell the story of how it impacted their lives so that others will understand its importance.
“Barracks children need these scholarships mostly. When we go for raids, it is mostly police children we arrest. They should be carried along in these scholarships.”
After group photographs, the women made a beeline for POWA Hall, where the programme for the scholarship kicked off immediately with music, dancing and praise singing.
Folayemi, who toiled day and night to ensure that the initiative materialised, said that the scholarship award and the gathering of POWA were significant, because “it unites us to commiserate and recognise the remarkable leadership of the POWA national president and her insightful guidance.”
According to Folayemi, Egbetokun’s dedication to initiatives focused on welfare has served as a wellspring of inspiration for all women in POWA.
She added: “On this occasion, we come together, not only to convey our heartfelt appreciation but to embark on a journey of empowerment and advancement.
“One of the inspiring aspects of Mrs. Egbetokun’s leadership to me is her relentless pursuit of value addition to the families of police officers. It is with great admiration that I observe her constant efforts to uplift these families through various means.
“Among these efforts, the concept of educational empowerment stands as a beacon of hope and a legacy of immeasurable worth. To me, this empowerment is not just an intervention, it is a confirmation of the enduring commitment we hold for the children and families of police officers.”
Folayemi stressed that beyond alleviating financial pressure, it is to equip beneficiaries with the knowledge and tools to create a meaningful future.
She further stated the noble pursuit has personally challenged her to establish and dedicate herself to the transformative programme.
She also said: “This initiative aims to aid individuals from the families of active and deceased police officers, who are the aspiration for a higher quality of life through education within tertiary institutions.
“Following a rigorous screening process, I am pleased to share that 35 candidates have emerged victorious. Among them, 31 are students in universities, one is in a college of education and two are studying at polytechnic institutions.
“These deserving candidates will each receive a scholarship grant of N200,000, a gesture aimed at not only supporting their educational endeavours but also paving the way for a brighter tomorrow,” stated Folayemi.
She recounted that on assuming duty as the Chairperson of Lagos State POWA, she had the conviction of empowerment through education, which led her to undertake a comprehensive tour of the same police primary schools in Lagos State.
She added that her findings revealed that the physical infrastructure of these schools needed renovation.
Folayemi stated: “I am pleased to announce the allocation of a substantial token of N300,000 to each of these schools. This contribution signifies our commitment to providing an environment that aligns with the potential and aspirations of these young minds.”
She continued: “It is with a profound sense of pride and gratitude that I announced the forthcoming presentation of these funds to the respective schools’ administrator by none other than the president of POWA herself. It is hoped that these donations will hold the potential to bring a tangible transformation to the schools located in Epe, Okota, Ikeja, Idimu, Obalende and Satellite Town respectively.
“Likewise, as part of the educational empowerment of officers’ children, 20 young people from various barracks were sent to ICT summer booth camp for 10 days from 8th -18th of August. This gave those young people the opportunity to develop skills in ICT.
“Acknowledging the challenges that can accompany such initiative is crucial. Yet in the face of potential hurdles, I am resolutely confident in the sustainability of our endeavours.
“The established framework set up by the POWA President, Mrs Egbetokun and her unwavering support strengthens our confidence that this noble initiative will endure, making a lasting impact on the lives of those we seek to uplift.
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“Let me at this juncture, extend a sincere word of counsel to the beneficiaries of the scholarship, You now possess a key to unlock the doors of a brighter future, embrace this opportunity with dedication, passion and resilience. Remember that you represent not only yourselves but also the aspirations and dreams of your families.”
Buttressing Folayemi’s statement, Egbetokun said that the event was in celebration of education and how it could transform minds. She said that POWA came together, not only as a community but as a force for positive change.
She stated: “We recognise that education is the cornerstone of progress and a powerful tool that can transform lives. As we award scholarships to these exceptional young minds, we are not merely granting financial support, we are investing in a brighter future for our nation. To the recipients, you’re the embodiment of perseverance and proof that dreams, coupled with determination can become a reality.”
Egbetokun told the recipients who were on the ground to collect their cheques, that education would not only equip them with knowledge but would empower them to become agents of positive change and instil in them the value of empathy, resilience and a commitment towards making the world a better place.
Folayemi and Egbetokun thanked the sponsors, partners, and others who supported in making the programme possible.
CP Idowu donated N1 million to support the scholarship, urging POWA not to allow such lofty projects to die. Other guests donated N7 million.