Police are your friend is a slogan used by the police but there is lack of synergy between Nigerians and the police. Judge of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, has called on Nigerians to show love to policemen.
Delivering the 33rd Convocation Lecture of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) titled: “Ethical Values, Good Governance and Nation Building” on Monday, Oyewole said though many do not perceive the police as friends, policemen endure a lot in the course of carrying out their duties.
As he called for an attitudinal change and appreciation of uniformed men, Justice Oyewole said loving them may make them more productive in fighting insecurity in Nigeria.
He said: “The Nigerian police must come up for special mention. They tell us the police is our friends but we do not get that. But maybe for once, we should be the bigger man. Let us show love to our police.
“Whether we like it or not, when we remove all other things these men are fighting battles; they are on the war front on a daily basis.
“Only last week armed robber struck in Falomo; they left a policeman dead. A colleague of mine was abducted about two weeks ago by kidnappers. The first target was her police orderly.
“Daily and hourly these people make sacrifices and maybe love flowing from us to them for that thankless service and sacrifices daily made could go a long way in solving our security challenges.”
Oyewole said good governance rests on eight elements – rule of law; transparency; responsiveness; consensus orientation; equity and inclusiveness; effectiveness and efficiency; accountability; and participation.
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To achieve good governance and nation building, Justice Oyewole said ethical values must be embraced by both the political leaders and the governed.
He lamented the lack of ethical values even among professional groups like the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Council; the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).
“Our reality as a nation is that where regulations exist, we work around them and break them with impunity and would rather blame everyone but ourselves. We want a different fruit from the seed we sow! But unyielding is the law of nature; whatsoever a man soweth, that he shall reap. And in multiples too,” he warned.
However, Oyewole urged Nigerians not to be tired of calling out what is wrong so justice could prevail.
The lecture was chaired by President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), who said he was honoured to be in Nigeria’s first tertiary institution which produced the Doyen of the accounting profession, Late Akintola Williams, and many other prominent professionals.
The Rector, Mr. Obafemi Omokungbe, presented paintings to the convocation lecturer and chairman for delivering a thought provoking lectures and contributing to national discourse.
The 72-year old institution’s 33rd convocation comes up Thursday during which 8,411 National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) students would graduate.
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