She wanted to be a lawyer but was admitted into Abia State University to study English Language. Two years into her university education and against her wish, her mother took a rare step that changed her life till today. Ngozi Braide, the Police Public Relations Officer of Lagos State spoke with YEMISI ADENIRAN on how her mother forced her to join the police at age 19, her experience so far and why she feels every family should produce at least a police officer in Nigeria. Excerpts:

Not many women desire to be police officers. What influenced your decision?

I never wanted to be a police officer. As a growing child, I wanted to become a lawyer. I love lawyers up till now. When I was admitted into the university, Abia State University, I was to study English Language and I just thought, well, that was closer to the Law I wanted to study.

I still had my eyes on Law but something else happened along the line. I was at my 200 level when my mother suddenly asked me to stop and join the police force. I was shocked, very shocked. I thought it was a big joke, I mean a bad joke, a bad dream that I would wake up from shortly after but it was not so. She insisted.

As a matter of fact, she had already obtained a form for me to be a cadet inspector. I was unhappy. I never thought of this, we never discussed it, only God knew why she came up with that decision but she insisted and here I am today.

Was your father in support of her decision?

Yes, he was. They are always together in their decisions. That is why it is difficult for any child to hide under any of them against the other. Once they are both convinced and concluded on an issue, they will insist. He couldn’t help me, I mean save me from my mother. I was just in between the two of them so, I had no choice but to dance to their tune. I was just 19 years old then but I finally commenced training at the police academy at age 20.

How will you describe your parents?

Like I said, they have one voice. They are both into business and they love God. They brought us all up in the fear of God.

They are comfortable and so, we grew up in a comfortable home. We are not too large a family, we are six in number. They are both strict. We didn’t mingle with others. I mean we didn’t just go and visit people like other children did. Once we were back from school, we stayed indoors to do our school assignments, read, do our domestic chores and generally played with ourselves in the house.

There was nothing like going to play with one friend or the other just because one is less busy or because our parents were not around. We had no such luxury. If we must visit, we did it as a family; we did it together. They were very disciplined and thought us to be disciplined. We didn’t have chance to do other things other kids did, it wasn’t easy but I thank God everything ended well.

What was the experience like at the academy?

It was not easy at all. We were made to pass through a rigorous training mentally, academically and physically. We were thought how to be disciplined. I went for my mobile training in Maiduguri and this lasted two years. Many failed and had to stay back to repeat the training all over.

How does it feel to be a police officer?

I must confess here that I am grateful to God for that decision that He made my mother to take on my behalf. It was one decision that I will forever be grateful to my mother for. I never wanted it then but now, I think I am the happiest person in a wonderful profession.

I don’t think I could have a better profession than what I am doing. I am so passionate about the job, I love it and I am fulfilled by it. God knew why He allowed my mother forced me to be a police officer. You may not understand like many wouldn’t but I tell you, it is the best job anybody can have. I’m proud of the profession and I advise every family to have a police officer at least. It is one job that allows you serve your people. There are many people who committed crimes without knowing that it was a crime. You have the opportunity of putting then through.

It is a thing of joy to save people in distress, trouble. It is good to have people look up to you for help. Though I am not a lawyer, as a police officer, I am into a humanitarian job. We both put smiles on people’s faces. Crime is different from sin. Right from when you are a child, you know what sins are. Lying, for instance is a sin but not a criminal offence.

There are so many people who commit crimes without knowing. When you sit them down to put them through, they are glad to know and they make promises not to go near such crimes, genuinely too. These set of people will go out again to spread the gospel to others.

Why do you think your mum said you should train as a police woman?

I really wouldn’t know but I must tell you that because she is my mother, she must have seen a trait or a tendency that convinced her that I would be better off as a police officer. That’s why I am advising parents, mothers especially to take their time to study their children and know their peculiarities, their weaknesses, their strength and all. It will make them to assist their children right when it comes to the issue of career choice.

Imagine the bliss that the seemingly wicked decision she made many years ago has brought upon me today. If she had not taken it then, I may not be where I am today. Most parents today are not where they are supposed to be, they are not contributing to the right growth of their children. Painfully, many are looking up to their children for succour both financially and otherwise.

This is wrong because it is supposed to be the other way round. If a parent is depending on his or her child for financial help when the later is yet dependent on himself or herself, God helps the child not to be involved in crime.

Parents should do all they need to do both in prayers and in action to pilot their children to esteemed positions. It is in their duty. A parent who will strive to do all things possible for his or her children to become well placed in life will also enjoy at old age. More time, I advise, should be dedicated to the children.