BY NIRAN BAMISAYE
In leadership, there is often a temptation to prioritise fresh ideas and new approaches. While innovation is essential, lasting progress is usually built on experience. This helps explain why the decision by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to engage former Inspectors-General deserves closer attention.
At first glance, the meeting may seem ceremonial. Yet it reflects a deeper leadership principle: strong institutions preserve and transfer knowledge across generations. When institutions ignore their history, they risk repeating mistakes and losing valuable lessons. The Nigeria Police Force, with its long history, is no exception.
Former Inspectors-General have led the Force through diverse security challenges—armed robbery, militancy, insurgency, terrorism, communal conflicts and election-related violence. Each tenure produced insights shaped by real-world experience, insights that cannot be replicated in theory.
IGP Disu’s engagement with these former leaders signals recognition that institutional memory is a strategic asset. In many public institutions, leadership changes often lead to the abandonment of existing ideas and programmes. This culture of discontinuity has contributed to stagnation. Sustainable reform, however, comes from understanding what worked, correcting what failed and building on existing foundations.
By consulting former Inspectors-General, IGP Disu demonstrates a commitment to continuity and institutional growth. It reflects humility and a willingness to learn, qualities essential for effective leadership.
The Nigeria Police Force faces complex challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime and organised criminal networks, often within limited resources and rising public expectations. Addressing these issues requires not only operational capacity but also perspective and institutional understanding.
Experience remains one of leadership’s most valuable resources. It is gained through years of decision-making, successes and failures. Leaders who tap into such experience are better positioned to make informed decisions.
This approach is common in the corporate world, where retired executives often serve as advisers or mentors. Their role is not to resist change but to provide context and help organisations avoid past mistakes. Public institutions can benefit from adopting similar practices.
For the Nigeria Police Force, engaging former leaders offers clear advantages. They can provide historical context for past reforms, explain policy outcomes and guide current leadership through institutional challenges. Their insights can help avoid costly errors and support more effective reforms.
Such engagement also sends a strong message within the Force. It reinforces the idea that leadership is continuous and that contributions remain valuable beyond active service. This strengthens professionalism, mentorship and institutional cohesion.
Importantly, consulting former leaders does not mean resisting innovation. Rather, it reflects an understanding that effective reform combines experience with new ideas.
As Nigeria confronts evolving security challenges, strong institutions are critical. These institutions are built not only on policies and resources but also on knowledge and continuity.
IGP Disu’s engagement with the former Inspectors-General may not produce immediate results, but it represents a commitment to learning and institutional strengthening. In a system where institutional memory is often overlooked, this initiative highlights a simple truth: experience cannot be bought, but when properly harnessed, it can be one of the most valuable tools for building a more effective and accountable Nigeria Police Force.
Niran Bamisaye wrote in from Lagos
