Africa
Egbetokun’s Record Speaks For Itself, Not The Rhetoric Of Detractors -By Danjuma Lamido
It is also false to suggest that state power was repeatedly deployed against dissenting voices under Egbetokun. The law remains the law. When individuals cross legal boundaries, institutions respond. In the case of Omoyele Sowore, what transpired was not persecution but lawful enforcement. One cannot constitute public nuisance, disregard due process, and then cry foul when the law takes its course.
The recent malicious write-up by Tope Temokun titled “Egbetokun’s Exit And The Lessons Of History” is nothing more than a desperate attempt to distort facts and malign the person and service record of former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
It is both reckless and unfair to allege that Egbetokun “chose the path of power misuse over institutional responsibility.” Such a statement could only emanate from a bitter soul without a conscience, one clearly driven more by vendetta than verifiable evidence. Throughout his tenure, Egbetokun demonstrated commitment to institutional stability, professional policing, and adherence to constitutional order. His decisions were guided by law, not personal impulses.
To claim that, “despite public advice to leave office honourably, he clung desperately to authority, converting the Nigeria Police Force into an instrument of personal vendetta and political persecution,” is not just senseless, it is laughable.
The same President who appointed him, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is the very one who accepted his resignation. Governance is not a playground for conspiracy theorists. If there had been misconduct or abuse of office, would the appointing authority have treated him with dignity and confidence?
The reality is clear: leadership transitions occur within the bounds of law and mutual respect. Moreover, Nigerians know that individuals who serve diligently are often called upon again for even greater responsibilities.
It is also false to suggest that state power was repeatedly deployed against dissenting voices under Egbetokun. The law remains the law. When individuals cross legal boundaries, institutions respond. In the case of Omoyele Sowore, what transpired was not persecution but lawful enforcement. One cannot constitute public nuisance, disregard due process, and then cry foul when the law takes its course.
The allegation that, “during Egbetokun’s leadership, he enlisted a Lagos police commissioner to declare Sowore wanted,” is a lie from the pit of hell. Policing decisions are procedural, evidence-driven, and rooted in statutory mandates, not personal whims of an Inspector-General of Police.
Attempts to personalize institutional actions betray either ignorance of police operations or deliberate mischief.
Even more embarrassing is Temokun’s claim that, “That one (Lagos police commissioner Moshood Jimoh) has been left alone in the cold now, for not knowing how to say no to an invitation to inherit an enemy that is not his.” For a supposed legal practitioner to descend into such theatrics is unfortunate.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police has already appealed the judgment they are prematurely celebrating. The appellate process exists precisely to review contested decisions, and anyone familiar with the legal system knows that one court’s pronouncement is not the final word. The Appeal Court will soon pronounce itself, and the noise will fade into silence.
It is equally disappointing that a self-styled barrister would declare that, “of all the legacies an Inspector-General could leave behind, a judicial debt stands as perhaps the most symbolic commentary on a tenure marked by excesses of power.”
Such hyperbole suggests overexcitement over what may very well be the first celebrated courtroom victory of his career. But legal processes are dynamic. What is being paraded today may be decisively overturned tomorrow.
History will not remember Kayode Egbetokun through the lens of political propaganda. He will be remembered for strengthening internal discipline within the Force, promoting professionalism, and upholding respect for citizens’ dignity.
At no time did he misuse the authority conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His leadership was defined by calm resolve, not vendetta; by institutional responsibility, not personal ambition.
Those attempting to rewrite his story should understand that truth has endurance. And as events continue to unfold, it will become increasingly clear that Kayode Egbetokun’s service to Nigeria is far from over.
He is coming back bigger and better, and when that time comes, today’s critics will have no choice but to hide their heads in shame.
Danjuma Lamido writes from Yola, Adamawa State. email: danjumalamido2011@gmail.com
