Anambra Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs. Nkiruka Nwode, speaks on challenges of policing the state, her experience as first female PPRO in the state and image management of the Force. Special Correspondent, OKEY MADUFORO, presents the excerpts.
Choice of career in Police
I see it as a calling. If you do not have the calling you cannot get there. It is not all about wishing to be a policeman or dreaming about it. You must have that passion to serve humanity, the passion to save lives and property and that unquenchable desire to serve the society even at the risk of losing your life.
Again, you must have God Almighty by your side. Whatever God has decreed to happen, no mere mortal can upturn it. With the grace of God and diligence in the discharge of your duty, certainly you would succeed in any of your endeavours, including the Police Force. So, in clear terms, I did not just wake up one morning and decided to join the police. It has been my calling. Even as a younger person, I could not stand and watch any act of inhumanity thrive.
Mentorship and role model
Frankly speaking, I do not have that type of role model or somebody that I was looking up to that mentored me. The police is similar to other professions such as law, medicine
doctors, engineers and the rest of them. The issue of any person making me join the police was never part of me.
doctors, engineers and the rest of them. The issue of any person making me join the police was never part of me.
I had that desire, I had the calling. You can agree with me that not every medical doctor or lawyer or pharmacist had someone as his/her mentor. Most of them saw their profession as a vocation, a kind of calling to serve the society, and humanity. But I can tell you that God Almighty remains the
secret behind whatever successes that I have made so far. He, I must say, is my mentor or role model. He directs me on these paths of life. It is through Him that I draw my strength and ability to work. It is not through human beings. I know God works through human beings but He remains constant and above all.
secret behind whatever successes that I have made so far. He, I must say, is my mentor or role model. He directs me on these paths of life. It is through Him that I draw my strength and ability to work. It is not through human beings. I know God works through human beings but He remains constant and above all.
Coping in a profession that appears masculine and seen as a man’s job
Here in the police, you talk about officers and men. They say deploy some men to this place. They do not say deploy some men
and women. So it would be wrong to say it is a man’s profession.
If you are to charge or go after a criminal or a suspect, you would be ordered to move and nobody is talking about a woman or a man.
and women. So it would be wrong to say it is a man’s profession.
If you are to charge or go after a criminal or a suspect, you would be ordered to move and nobody is talking about a woman or a man.
I joined the police and got enlisted as
Cadet ASP and passed out. There were some men who could not make it. Those that passed out with me were also men and
women. So this is not a man thing. As the saying goes, what a man can do, a woman can do it, if not better. I have worked at the
Department of Operations in Anambra State Police Command before being appointed as the Public Relations Officer. You
can go to that office to ask questions and your result would be
positive.
Cadet ASP and passed out. There were some men who could not make it. Those that passed out with me were also men and
women. So this is not a man thing. As the saying goes, what a man can do, a woman can do it, if not better. I have worked at the
Department of Operations in Anambra State Police Command before being appointed as the Public Relations Officer. You
can go to that office to ask questions and your result would be
positive.
So the issue of being a woman does not arise at this point. Once you are in the police, you must discharge your duties creditably. There are no reasons for excuses, be you a man or a woman.
I graduated from Ebonyi State University with a very good grade. I know that there were men in my class who did not make up to the grade I made. So it is not the gender but your ability as a human being.
I graduated from Ebonyi State University with a very good grade. I know that there were men in my class who did not make up to the grade I made. So it is not the gender but your ability as a human being.
Police image and challenges of the job
The job of a Public Relations Officer is like any other police work in the force. There is nothing new or added to it at any point. God
knows why He drafted me into the office of the Public Relations and I wish to make this solemn promise that as the image maker of the State Police Command, things would move from good to better and to the best.
knows why He drafted me into the office of the Public Relations and I wish to make this solemn promise that as the image maker of the State Police Command, things would move from good to better and to the best.
My work is to contribute to the creation of a renewed image, not just for the Command but for the entire Nigeria Police and to also lift the flag of Nigeria and Anambra high.
I am to also project a positive image of the force, assist the Commissioner of Police to succeed as he brings down crime in
Anambra.
I am to also project a positive image of the force, assist the Commissioner of Police to succeed as he brings down crime in
Anambra.
I am to also take feedbacks from the Communities to the Public; that is to say that people should see me as a bridge between members of the public and the Nigeria Police.
I operate an open door policy. People should be free to call me at any time for their complaints, criticisms, and so on. That is the essence of my office.
Working with Police Commissioner Sam Okaula
CP Sam Okaula is equal to the task. You will agree with me that crime rate in Anambra has gone down drastically as a result
of his consolidation of existing synergy between his predecessor AIG. Hosea Karma and other sister agencies.
of his consolidation of existing synergy between his predecessor AIG. Hosea Karma and other sister agencies.
We also need the cordial and maximum cooperation of the public in
the area of information (credible information).
the area of information (credible information).
Anyway, the God that appointed me as the first female PPRO in the State will help me meet up with the present task. Like I said before, I have a boss that is well-groomed and God fearing. It is a great privilege and honour working with him. Whenever he gives you a job to do, he also creates the enabling environment for you to do your job. That is the man that I am working under in the state.
At the end of your stay as PPRO, how would you be remembered?
As a Police Officer, I must discharge my duties creditably and to the best of my ability. I would continue to work with my boss, the Commissioner in order to achieve results. So, at the end of my stay
here, only the people of Anambra State will judge me and give me my score. That is all.
here, only the people of Anambra State will judge me and give me my score. That is all.