As I write about my lunch date for this week, I’m trying to read your mind and I think I can hear you say “Kemi???…The Police???” not to worry I haven’t gotten into any trouble trust me, I just happened to have met this vibrant woman and she caught my attention so I thought to have an interview with her and she agreed.
There was a case I was privy to which was reported to her and she took it up even without knowing who the person was and she acted accordingly. That actually blew my mind away and changed the mindset of “you must know someone to get something done”. When I see such acts, it boosts my belief in this country and I can only keep hoping for the best.
She bagged a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language from the Lagos State University, but her profession of choice was law enforcement. Joining the Force as a Cadet Inspector in August 1996, she was trained at the Nigeria Police Academy in Kano. In the course of her impressive career, she has attended various courses both at home and abroad; some of which includes a prosecution course at the Nigeria Police Detective College, Enugu in 1999; an International post-blast investigation course at the Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms Academy in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000 and a Psychotraumaology, debriefing and diffusing course in Switzerland in 2001.
Marked for stellar achievements in her law enforcement career, she successfully participated in two United Nations peace keeping operations; one with UNMIK Kosovo in 2000 where she served in various crime investigation units until she was appointed to head the Domestic Violence Unit. Also, in 2006 in Liberia, she was appointed to head the finance unit of the United Nations Police in that country. The dedicated officer earned a commendation award for devotion to duty & hard work.
A four-year stint with the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) garnered her experience in dealing with organised crime as she was attached to Interpol’s Organised Crime Division (OCD). This posting was followed by her redeployment to Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) in Lagos where she served for another four years before being posted once again to the Special Fraud Unit (SFU). While with SFU, she was attached to the Commercial Fraud Unit, where she later rose to become a sectional head of the oil and gas fraud section.
She was with the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit at Force Headquarters, Abuja before her well-earned appointment as the first female Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Lagos State, where she currently serves. I introduce to you my date for this week, Ngozi Conchita Braide.
Entering the premise of her office, you can tell an upgrade has just taken place. I am asked to wait for her at the reception by the secretary Ogeh Philomina. After some minutes, I am asked to come into her office and as I entered, she was with her orderly; Taiwo Abass who made sure everything was set for the interview. From the moment I stepped in, to the time the interview began till we concluded, her phones didn’t stop ringing. At some point I was prompted to ask “how do you cope with picking calls and being able to respond to everyone” I asked and with a smile on her face that read ‘you haven’t seen anything yet’, she responds “Kemi, it is the nature of my job, I have to answer everyone that calls, when I am not able to, I send them texts and get back to them once I can” to which I responded “I do not envy you at all, you surely need a ton of patience on your work as the PPRO of Lagos State” and she says “You can say that again and again”.
Starting off the interview, Ngozi admits to me that she never wished to be in the police, she tells me it just happened but today she admits she would never have done any other job.
One would think that being the first female PPRO of Lagos state would mean the whole world to Ngozi but for her it isn’t. Hear her candid views “We get posted at anytime to various units and this was just another posting for me. I do appreciate the position but for me, it means a greater responsibility. I am enjoying my work though, I love working under pressure because it brings out the best in me. I try to relate to everyone, I am accessible and available for everyone and I am always ready to render assistance and advice. At midnight, in the morning, noon…at all times, I get calls even while I am in church. So you see why I look beyond being the first female on the job and concentrate on work to be done?” Ngozi makes clear.
Sharing more about her duties, Ngozi explains “I enlighten the public on things they should know about security and the police. I am like a bridge between the public and the police. If you have a complaint even against the police and you bring it to our notice, we will look deeply into it and get it solved. It is generally about public relations. We also cooperate with other agencies, government and non-governmental organisations to make things work. Very soon, I will be embarking on an enlightenment campaign on terrorism, kidnapping and likes. I have written letters to churches and other religious bodies, I would be visiting motor parks, markets, schools, event centres, shopping malls and more, I will be enlightening them on things to look out for and things to know, latest crime patterns and how they can reach us. Nowadays, people spread a lot of rumours and it is in our position to put it straight and enlighten the public about the truth.” She quips.
Have you ever been upset at the police for stopping you and asking for your particulars? Especially when you are in a hurry? I will not ask if it often upsets you even though I know what your answer is but hear what Ngozi has to say about this “The police is a fragment of the society, before they became officers, they were civilians like you and I so if as a police officer, I flag you down, know that I am there to maintain law and order and to ensure your safety. If by doing so, you are very angry because I did that, perhaps you feel I am delaying you, having it in mind that almost everyone is in a hurry, you then become violent and angry and begin to rain insults on the officer, such acts cannot be acceptable.” Ngozi says and continues “In this country, people do not have regards for the law. Right now, we have said that people shouldn’t drive tinted cars without permit but you find people calling me to say ‘I have been arrested please talk to your men’ and my question is ‘why will you break the law?’ sadly, people do not like to obey constituted authority and when they are caught for trespass, they call me. Even the ‘Okada’ riders have been asked not to ply certain routes but you still find them contravening the law. It is in Nigeria that the police men and women are not respected, all over the world, people respect the police. When Nigerians travel out, they do not contravene the law of the country they go to but they find it easy to disrespect the police in Nigeria, this should not be so.” Says Ngozi.
For Ngozi, the need to be security conscious is very vital, that is why she insists that “the public must report strange faces, objects, movements to the police. If you see vehicles parked somewhere for a long time and no one has come to identify it as theirs, you are to report to the police, you must be your neighbours keeper and be on the lookout to help the law enforcement agencies. There is a trend going on now and it has to do with parents or guardians beating their children to death. This year alone, I have recorded about four of such cases, one just happened recently. How do you beat a child to death? Sadly, the children are all minors.”
“The recent one that occurred was noticed by a security conscious neighbour at Agege who later alerted the police but they never reported to us until she beat the child to death. They were about to put the child in a sack to throw away when we were alerted and those responsible for this inhumane act have been charged to court and they are currently in Kirikiri. There are also cases of men raping their daughters and several other issues. Do not ignore such occurrences, people must be security conscious. She concludes.
Lagos is the largest commercial city in Nigeria where you find different people from all works of life. There are about 17 million people in Lagos and according to Ngozi, “Lagos is unique and special which means policing Lagos is a huge responsibility but, God’s grace is always available because when He brings you to a place of honour, He provides the strength and the wherewithal to see you through.” She admits
Mentorship for Ngozi is very imperative as it has helped her to where she is today. She adds “I always commend and appreciate my commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Umar .A. Manko. I have never seen a crime fighter like him. He came to Lagos in March 2012 and since that time till now; we haven’t had any successful bank robbery. He has brought crime by God’s grace to the barest minimum in Lagos state. He is very dedicated and has zero tolerance to any form of crime. Most times you see him in the Night going on patrol himself, checking the men on the road and visiting stations. He is a workaholic and despite his busy schedule, he has been of tremendous support to us all. He is my mentor and I aspire to be like him, I admire the way he handles issues.” Ngozi acknowledges.
It should be impossible for Ngozi to be recognised if for instance she is not in her police uniform and she is at a function or so I thought until she says to me “It is really hard not to be known even when I am in my casual wear. Even if you do not want to be noticed, someone will walk up to you and immediately identify who I am and this doesn’t happen in Lagos alone. The job entails being disciplined in uniform and outside uniform and discipline also includes your behaviour, manner of approach, mode of dressing, comportment and so on. I must live an exemplary life; I am expected to go above the standard. From the time you get into the academy till you pass out, you are trained to be disciplined. When you are disciplined, you can instil discipline in your children and even those around you. It also includes being security conscious”
“Sometimes, I am with friends, I look around and after observing where I am, I immediately take certain positive actions and sometimes they wonder how I could tell certain things without being informed and I tell them it is part of the training I was given and sometimes, I let them know we have to leave where we are immediately because when you envisage danger, you must act right away and don’t wait for a mishap before you make a move. Even at home, I try to make sure my family is intact. I do not like eye service; I appreciate when people are themselves around me. We do not live a superficial life; it is about doing the right thing.” Ngozi insists.
From when she took office, Ngozi has been a source of encouragement to several women, many of which she tells me have decided to join the police force but she never fails to let them know it’s not a tea-party. She further advises women “I do not like to be around or working with unserious minded people. I don’t believe women should be lazy though as a woman, you are to be a helper to your husband but it doesn’t mean you should not be able to own your own. Don’t leave everything for your husband to do, women should work and assist in the family and also work towards attaining enviable positions. Women are doing well in Nigeria, look at Professor Dora and the life she lived, very honourable and worthy of commendation, we must prove our onions wherever we are.” She admonishes.
Since her career in the Public Relations department, Ngozi has bagged not less than fifteen nominations and awards to her credit, some of which includes, “Young Achievers Nigeria Award” as (Police Spokesperson of the year 2012). “Junior Chambers International (JCI) Presidential Service Achievement Award 2013” for (her Outstanding Service to humanity). “Titans of Tech. Award – PURE GENIUS 2013” as (Titans of Tech Most Influential Woman in ICT in Nigeria). “Igbo Leaders Nigeria Award of Excellence 2013” as (A Virtuous Woman of Substance). “Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) 2013 Award” as (The Most Outstanding Female Police Public Relations Officer). “PAN African Merit Award, December 2013” as (The Best Police Officer of the Year) to mention a few.
KEMI AJUMOBI
