Officers’ offspring

• Nigeria Police should take advantage of Babcock’s scholarships and generosity

The apparent refusal of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to take up the recent offer of scholarships for the children of its personnel testifies to an institutional inflexibility that does not show the NPF in a good light.

In spite of a well-earned notoriety for extra-judicial killings and frequent acts of indifference and brutality, the sacrifices made by the Nigeria Police in its campaigns against crime, inter-communal clashes and insurgency cannot be ignored.

Hundreds of police officers have lost their lives over the past few years and the repercussions on the families they left behind have been very hard. In some instances, they are driven out of their official accommodation. Benefits and entitlements of the deceased are often not paid on time, condemning their dependants to lives of suffering that they do not deserve.

This is why it is so difficult to understand why the NPF has ignored Babcock University’s offer. It is even less comprehensible when it is known that the current Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, understands the importance of scholarships as a motivational strategy.

In July, the IGP announced scholarships to the children of police officers killed in anti-insurgency operations in Bauchi State, as well as posthumous promotions for the deceased officers. Three months later, in Osun State, he stated that plans were under way to set up a foundation which would disburse scholarships to the children of police personnel.

It is obvious that the police are not opposed to the granting of scholarships; why then would the NPF ignore Babcock’s offer? It is probable that the odd response stems from bureaucratic inefficiency rather than malevolent inaction.

It seems that the NPF simply waited for Babcock to contact it with details of its offer. Given its uniqueness, the urgent need of its prospective beneficiaries, and the time-bound nature of the admissions process, such a laid-back approach was clearly inappropriate.

When the offer was announced, the police should have made assiduous attempts to follow it up by visiting the school and interacting with its authorities in order to understand the scholarship’s terms and conditions.

How many places was Babcock offering? Are the scholarships partial or full? Are they restricted or open? Would applicants be required to take a special scholarship exam, or would the conventional post-UTME be sufficient? These are the things a proactive NPF would have sought to find out.

The police’s lack of responsiveness could have negative consequences if it is not addressed quickly. It could discourage other universities, corporate organisations and philanthropic individuals who are of a mind to follow Babcock’s example. It might dishearten police officers, and thereby drain them of the motivation to carry out their duties efficiently. It would certainly not be helpful to the grieving offspring of deceased officers, who would now have to add disappointed expectations to the bereavement that they are already struggling to come to terms with.

Fortunately, it is not too late to turn things round. The police must set processes in motion aimed at taking up Babcock’s offer. A formal acceptance of the proposed scholarships must be communicated immediately to the school, followed by a request for a meeting at which the details can be ironed out. Once that is done, the NPF must ensure that those who are eligible to apply for the scholarships know about them and are given whatever assistance they need.

Babcock University, for its part, may need to exert a little more effort if the police persist in this tardiness. The university could advertise its offer and request applications from eligible candidates, ensuring that they meet the primary criterion of being children of police officers. Their generosity is commendable; it is to be hoped that other institutions of higher learning and public-spirited individuals and organisations emulate them.