By Muyiwa Adetiba
Any notion that the position of the Inspector General of Police is not a very powerful one, must be quickly laid to rest by the turn out, a fortnight ago, at Mohammed Abubakar’s wedding to his heartthrob, Safiya.

It had all the trappings of a Super Star wedding; only more. Both the electronic and print media were generous with pictures an effusive with words. The attendance too could not have been higher classed— from Senators, Generals, to ex-Heads of State. For once, there was no ruling party; neither were there opposition parties. Everybody wanted to show their face and be counted! Dis man na powerful man o.

Police IG, MD Abubakar

Seeing the assemblage of top politicians, past and present security chiefs, and wheeler-dealers, including businessmen who only do government business, a morbid thought came to my mind. What if a Boko Haram bomb blew up the building where they assembled and revelled? Would a better Nigeria emerge from the rubbles?

After all, over seventy percent of those responsible for the state of Nigeria today were gathered in that place. But like I said, it was a morbid, even uncharitable thought and I quickly let it pass. Mohammed Abubakah, our handsome Inspector General, deserves his moments of joy.

It’s the way of life however, that just as Abubakah’s family was in full celebration, another family known to many of the attendees, was in sudden mourning at the death of his illustrious son. Dr Olusegun Agagu, a PDP chieftain, former Minister and former Governor of Ondo State, passed away at the weekend.(He probably would have been at the wedding if he was alive).

With him went plans on the personal, professional and political fronts. The broken PDP in OndoState will have to be mended by someone else; not him. His newly won power project will have to be powered by someone else; not him. His many personal projects in Oyo and OndoStates will have to be sorted out by someone else; not him. For him, the sun has set and the jury is out. After the generous out pouring of love, and repetitious clichés, the harsh critical assessment of his life and times will begin and the process of what will be the shaping of his legacy as a politician and as a human being, will be out lined.

As our Abubakar finds love again, he should ponder about the frailty of life. He should remember that he once lost love less than two years ago. There must have been plans his first wife had that were never actualised. That, unfortunately, is what death does to the living. That is why, all of us, including the new bridegroom, should give a thought to how they will be remembered should they drop suddenly like Dr Agagu did.

Ababakar would probably be remembered for his genuine, if unsuccessful attempt, to stop the road blocks that do more harm than good. He probably would be remembered for his half-hearted, again unsuccessful attempt, to reduce corruption in the Police. He probably would be remembered as a personally decent police officer in an indecent environment. But would history favour him when it recalls where he met the Force and where he is leading it? Especially when it comes to the independence and impartiality of the Force? Probably not.

In the past few months, he has shown how the Force can be used as an instrument of coercion and intimidation by the Federal Government. The heavy police presence at the PDP convention gave the impression that the PDP and the State are one. They are not. The role of the police in the ensuing break up of PDP is not even handed.

The role of the police in RiversState has been most embarrassing; and his refusal to remove a Commissioner of Police who has refused to recognise the State Governor as the number one security officer has laid a bad precedent. So has the blockage of the road to the Government House. All these—and many more— give the impression that the police can not be trusted as an impartial and unbiased enforcer of the law. This is worrisome and portends a bad omen for 2015.

This new image will eclipse other unsavoury images of corruption, incompetence, unprofessionalism in the police that have led to increased crime in the country. Worse, it will define his tenure as I.G and give ammunition to those advocating for State Police.

So as he enjoys the warmth of his beautiful wife, he should think of what his legacy will be. Many of those who swarmed around him at his wedding should under no circumstance, be comfortable around a straight police officer.

Let it not be said that he had the opportunity to straighten out the police—and the Nation— and he could not find the steel to rise to the challenge.

P.S. The I.G and his wife, probably on the way to their honeymoon, were escorted to the boarding gate of the Emirate plane going to Dubai on Thursday, September 19, by not less than ten senior police officers including the Lagos State Commissioner of Police. They must have passed the checking— in counter, passed the immigration and Custom control posts, waited at the VIP waiting lounge meant for travellers, before reaching the neck of the plane just before the door was closed. Must custodians of the law flout the laws of the land so openly?

Surely, there must be very few places in the world where this kind of thing can happen?