Personality Feature
By:
Chukwudi George Ozalla
My most recent encounter with Chief (Sir Dr.) Mike Mbama Okiro was at the National Assembly. We were having a hearty conversation as we made our way through one of the corridors. While I was engrossed in our discussion, Okiro kept moving at a pace that demanded more than casual walking. Before long, I found myself quickening my steps just to keep up with him.
It was a simple moment, yet it said so much about the man. Here was Nigeria’s 13th indigenous Inspector General of Police and former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), retired from public office, but carrying himself with the energy and purpose of someone who still has much to offer. His years have not diminished either his enthusiasm or his curiosity about the affairs of the nation.
As Chief Okiro celebrates another birthday today, many will rightly remember the distinguished offices he occupied. Others will reflect on his contributions to policing and public administration. Those accomplishments deserve lasting recognition, but they reveal only part of the man.
Okiro’s career was built over decades of dedicated service in the Nigeria Police Force. From various operational and administrative assignments, including serving as Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, during the tenure of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as governor, he rose steadily through the ranks before becoming the country’s 13th indigenous Inspector General of Police. He later chaired the Police Service Commission, where his experience was brought to bear on matters relating to recruitment, promotion, discipline and the professional development of police personnel.
One often overlooked aspect of his profile is that Okiro is also a trained lawyer. Armed with legal training and practical policing experience, he acquired a perspective that few public officers possess. It is this combination of law, administration and field experience that has continued to make his opinions relevant long after leaving office.
Retirement has not confined him to the background. Far from it.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of interacting with him on several occasions. Each meeting reinforces my impression of a man who has never stopped thinking about Nigeria. His interest in national issues remains genuine, particularly where peace, stability and security are concerned. He does not speak as someone seeking relevance because of the office he once occupied. Rather, he speaks from decades of practical experience and from an abiding concern for the country he served.
That is why I believe Nigeria should continue to draw from the wealth of knowledge of men like Okiro.
As conversations around state police gather momentum across the country, experienced professionals who understand the strengths and weaknesses of our policing system should not be left out. The debate is too important to be driven solely by political considerations. It requires the benefit of institutional memory and practical experience.
Chief Okiro belongs to that small group of Nigerians whose voices deserve careful attention whenever policing reforms are under consideration. He understands the demands of policing a diverse country, the pressures placed on security personnel and the reforms required to strengthen public confidence. Whether or not one agrees with every opinion he expresses, there is no denying that his experience constitutes an important national asset.
Countries that succeed in building strong institutions do not discard experience once official service comes to an end. They continue to consult those who helped shape the institutions, recognising that wisdom accumulated over decades cannot be replaced overnight. Nigeria should adopt the same approach.
Beyond his public life is another quality that has continued to impress me.
Chief Okiro is a devout Catholic whose commitment to his faith is evident in the way he lives. Morning Mass is not something he treats casually. I have accompanied him to church on a few occasions and have seen first-hand the importance he attaches to beginning each day in God’s presence. It is a good discipline, free from display, but one that speaks volumes about the values that have guided his life.
Perhaps it is this foundation of faith that explains the calmness, humility and self-discipline that many people associate with him. Public service, especially in a demanding institution like the Nigeria Police Force, tests character in many ways. Throughout those years, he maintained a reputation for discipline, rewarding honesty, competency and professionalism while carrying the enormous responsibilities that came with high office.
It is easy in today’s fast-moving society to celebrate only those who currently occupy public office. We become fascinated with the new and sometimes forget those whose experience continues to enrich national life. Yet every nation needs respected elder statesmen whose counsel is shaped not by theory but by experience.
Okiro belongs in that category.
His contributions did not end with retirement. His concern for Nigeria has not faded with age. His willingness to engage thoughtfully on issues affecting the country reflects an enduring sense of duty that deserves recognition.
As I reflected on our recent walk through the National Assembly, I found myself smiling at the irony. I had expected to stroll alongside a retired police chief. Instead, I found myself trying to catch up with a man whose energy refused to acknowledge retirement. That brief encounter summed up the Okiro I have come to know over the years: disciplined, focused, warm in conversation and still remarkably active.
Birthdays offer opportunities to celebrate lives that have touched others in meaningful ways. Chief Okiro’s journey fits that description. His story is one of perseverance, professional accomplishment and enduring service to the nation. More importantly, it tells us that the value of public service is not measured only by the offices held but by the willingness to continue contributing after leaving them.
As family members, friends, former colleagues, associates and well-wishers celebrate him today, they honour a man whose career has earned him a respected place in Nigeria’s policing history and whose life continues to inspire confidence that integrity, discipline and commitment to country still matter.
I join them in wishing Chief (Sir Dr.) Mike Mbama Okiro a happy birthday.
May God bless him with good health, renewed strength and many more years of fulfilment. May He continue to grant him wisdom as he offers counsel on matters of national importance, and may his years ahead be marked by peace, joy and the satisfaction that comes from a life devoted to service.
Happy birthday, Agunaechemba!
