Exceptional Officers

Nigeria Awkward Birthday

It was my birthday, the norm of students spilling water on celebrant was still on and everyone anticipated pouring water on me on that day. On waking up, Mimi received her first water bath from a neighbor in her lodge and thereafter another came chasing with a full bucket, she ran out of the compound but the chase was not over as she was followed to the veranda. The awkward moment was when another student ran out to pour his own bucket of water on me unknown to me that he mixed the water with Ghana pepper. Immediately the water mixed with Ghana pepper landed on my face, I wailed out with a shout of “pepper”. The pain was excruciating and other student around condemned the act, carried by the student who was just silent at that moment. I was taken to my bathroom to shower with soap and thereafter I slept off for over five hours. The student who sprayed the pepper later came to apologize, immediately he received the forgiveness from me as the whole thing was awkward. That same week, a female friend of mine who was also my departmental student was celebrating her birthday in our lodge. Something unusual happened and she made me angry. I raised my hand and hit her on her face. She became furious and no apology rendered at that time could calm her nerves. She angrily left the house only to return with police van few minutes later. She ordered the police men to arrest me. I followed the police men and they drove me and her to police Area B division around the federal housing area of the state. On arrival at the station, I was made to seat at the counter awaiting the officer on duty to take our case and give me note to write my statement. She was made to write her statement as well. Upon completing my statement, it took the officer another thirty minutes to get us to see the DPO. It was finally our turn; we were invited to his office. The DPO asked us to take our seat. He asked her to narrate her ordeal. After she was done, I was also asked to narrate my own side of the story. The DPO asked me if she was my girlfriend, my respond was no. She was asked as well if I was her giirlfriend, she answered no as well. Again the DPO asked me if I love her, my answer was no. she replied no to the same question when she was asked by the DPO. The DPO asked me to apologize to her; the apology came without hesitation from the bottom of my heart as true feeling of friendship for her was deeply inside of me. She burst into tears; the DPO was watching the drama. She started complaining in tears how much have hurt her; all I could do was to apologize to a friend. The DPO asked her if she want to drop the case and she replied yes. The whole scenario that played out at the station made me to have a different orientation about the Nigeria Police Force. Since that incident, my interests for the police station develop and prayers for the success and protection of the force increased and were genuine.

The situation here was completely awkward but played out that lessons were learnt from the way it played out. At times the condition we tag as awkward might just be the stepping stone to a new and changed mindset. My present day life is still influenced by that single act from the DPO at the station years ago.

Conclusion

We must learn to use the situations we find ourselves well and ensure to apologize to our friends, colleagues, family, relations and neighbors whenever we are wrong and even when they are the ones that wrong us. Forgiveness is paramount in getting our world to reducing conflict. Whenever you find yourself in an awkward position, try to harness the good lessons from it and ensure you regret you’re wrong and work towards a better tomorrow and the sky will be your starting point.