Security/National Development: Nigerians, Police Must Imbibe Rotary Culture – Arase

Segun Atanda/

For those who want to learn how to develop and keep Nigeria safe, the best teacher is the Rotary Club, says former Inspector General of Police, Dr Solomon Ehigiator Arase.

“Rotary Club is a classical reference in the study of the nexus between security and development. By projecting the virtues of friendship, selfless service, sacrifice, empowerment, leadership, and fairness towards guaranteeing community and national peace, security and development, Rotary Club has perhaps, unwittingly, recognized the node between development and security and has, therefore, over the years, engaged in activities directed at addressing human security needs of the community as a step towards addressing the development and security question,” he said.

Arase disclosed this in a paper presented at the investiture of Rotarian Ayo Adeyemi as the Charter President of Rotary Club of Mushin Golden in Lagos last Sunday. He was Guest Speaker at the event.

Speaking alongside another scholar – the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) legal adviser, Dr Muiz Adeyemi Banire (SAN) who was Chairman at the event, Arase dissected and analysed the concept of security and offered what he considered as solutions to his countrymen.

He also had words of advice for the Police in his paper entitled: ‘Impact of Humanitarian Service on Security and Community Development’.

He said, “…beyond being a classical case study in security and development, the values of service, friendship, community-driven functions, community welfare and development and passion for just and fair society which constitute the core of Rotary existence also present classical lessons for the Nigeria Police Force. For if the Police, as the constitutionally recognized primary law enforcement agency in Nigeria could emulate and integrate these virtues to their psyche, their disposition to the public will be positively altered, their legitimacy guaranteed, the attainment of their Mandate will be assured, and the elusive development of our nation attained.”

The event held at Ibis Hotel, on Toyin Street, Ikeja, was also attended by two traditional rulers – the Olumushin of Mushin, Oba Fatai Ayinla Aileru (JP), the Ilufemiloye 1, Ojatoromo of Abigi Land, Oba Olusegun Ogunye, and the Rotary Governor of District 9110, Rotarian Patrick Ijehon Ikheloa.

Here’s the full text of Arase’s presentation:

‘Impact of Humanitarian Service on Security and Community Development’

The Concept of Security and Development

According to the 1994 Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Programme, the concept of security has for too long been interpreted narrowly as physical security while forgetting the legitimate concerns of ordinary people who sought security in their daily lives. This report is widely seen among security experts and researchers as a milestone in the understanding of the concept of ‘security’ as it clearly established that there are two dominant approaches to the understanding of the concept of security. These are the Physical Security Approach (Traditional Approach) and the Human Security Approach.

The Physical Security Approach on the one hand is the traditional understanding of the concept of security which places emphasis on capacity building, and efficiency of intelligence and law enforcement agencies. It addresses security actions relating to physical protection of national values, critical assets, the public space, citizens and their possessions against intruders. It also covers the application of the criminal law and processes in security management. This approach has been criticized mainly by human development scholars for ignoring the impact of social and human development factors in personal and community security.

The Human Security Approach on the other hand, is an emerging paradigm that seeks to challenge the traditional physical security approach to the understanding and management of security. The Approach argues that though physical (traditional) security and human security are premised on divergent principles, they are not mutually exclusive. This is because, as noted by the Human Security Centre, without human security, physical security cannot be attained and vice-versa.

Consequently, it was posited that the scope of security should be expanded to include economic security, health security, environmental security, emotional security, community security and political security (UNDP, 1994). The Human Security Centre has attempted to narrow these factors to ‘freedom from fear’ and ‘freedom from want’, while other scholars have noted that Human Security and human rights are likewise deeply interconnected. This is to the extent that both are concerned with the identification of a rudimentary set of universal concerns that span poverty and violence.

The primary argument here is that personal or communal security should not be seen merely as the erection of high physical barriers around premises, employment of armed orderlies, acquisition of armoured cars or the procurement of licensed arms. These traditional understanding of the concept of personal security is parochial, misleading and create a sense of what is commonly defined in security parlance as ‘false security’.

The modern understanding of security, therefore, has been expanded to include socio-economic security of citizens through empowerment engagements which could either be driven by non-state actors or by state actors. It also covers attempts at filling the ‘security reassurance gap’ through collaboration between strategic stakeholders within the community and the law enforcement agencies. The argument justifying this new paradigm is twofold.

First, it is posited that a socio-economically insecure individual will not only have the proclivity to commit crime but will most likely be a victim of crime. Hence, a citizen living in affluence in the midst of citizens confronted by abject poverty, unemployment and social insecurity can barely be assured of personal security in the neighbourhood.

Secondly, it is argued that a socio-economically insecure individual will have little or no means to complement state security by providing personal security for himself. It is for this reason that the advanced countries operate capital-intensive social security policies which address unemployment, act as a wealth distribution mechanism, and consequently, reduce the temptation for crime on account of socio-economic factors.

Towards this end, security could be defined as a combination of initiatives by a community or state, which is directed at guaranteeing the physical and socio-economic well-being of the citizens, and discouraging the predilection for the commission of crime by the socially-insecure elements within the society. The question, at this juncture is – what is the relationship between security and development?

Although Necla Tschirgi, Michael S. Lund, and Francesco Mancini in a book entitled ‘Security and Development: Searching for Critical Connections’ acknowledge that security and development are inextricably intertwined. Yet, behind the security-development nexus proposition, there are multiple layers of confusion, contradictions and policy dilemmas. For instance, is it security that affects development or is it development that affects security? Which of the two critical factors should be addressed first within the community and national scale of policy preference?

Regardless of the divide line that one stands, there is a consensus among development and security scholars that the integration of both concepts will produce a secure society. The import of this is that if underdevelopment factors like poverty, injustice, and purposeful leadership that engender human insecurity are addressed, community security will not only be guaranteed, but national development will be assured. Who then drives this process? Ladies and gentlemen, here lies the crux of the matter and in my humble judgment; it is within this framework that the uniqueness of Rotary Club, its selfless and community-oriented members and their community empowerment and service-driven engagements becomes a vital case study.

 

Rotary Club, Humanitarian Service, Security and Development

Rotary club is recognized as a grass-roots organisation consisting of business professionals and community leaders that volunteer time, talent, energy, and their personal resources in pursuance of their passion to remedy vital community needs. The object of the over 1.2 million global members of the Club is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.

Rotary Club also encourages high ethical standards in business and professions; the application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life; and the advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

Pursuant to these, Rotary Club is guided by what has now been defined as the Four-Way Test capturing the way their members think, relate or act. These include – ‘Is it the TRUTH’? ‘Is it FAIR to all concerned’?; ‘Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?; and ‘Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned’?

The Rotary Question is – what will it take to change the world? The Rotary answers which were succinctly provided in 1910 and 1950 are “He Profits Most Who Serves His Fellows Best” and “Service Above Self,” In other words, a community driven by passion of love for their people and sacrifice of or service for common good as advanced by Rotary Club will only reap security and development as deserving reward.

It is in acknowledgement of this that Rotary Club has been committing to Vocational Service by calling on every Rotarian to work with integrity and contribute their expertise to the problems and needs of society; engaging in Community Service by encouraging every Rotarian to find ways to improve the quality of life for people in their communities and to serve the public interest; and engaging in Youth Service in recognition of the importance of empowering youth and young professionals through leadership development programs.

The concept, values, principles and activities of Rotary Club is a classical reference in the study of the nexus between security and development. By projecting the virtues of friendship, selfless service, sacrifice, empowerment, leadership, and fairness towards guaranteeing community and national peace, security and development, Rotary Club has perhaps, unwittingly, recognized the node between development and security and has, therefore, over the years, engaged in activities directed at addressing human security needs of the community as a step towards addressing the development and security question.

 

Conclusion:

The imperative of partnership between the police and the public was underscored by the principle of law enforcement articulated by Robert Peel, the pioneer chief of London Metropolitan Police in 1829. Of the nine statements advanced in the principles, five directly emphasized the importance of public consent, trust, and collaboration as well as friendship, service and justice as frameworks for guaranteeing police legitimacy.

Specifically, Sir Robert Peel observes that the police seek and preserve public favor, not by catering to public opinion, but by constantly demonstrating absolutely impartial service to the law by ready offering of individual service and friendship to all members of society without regard to their race or social standing, by ready exercise of courtesy and friendly good humor; and by ready offering of individual sacrifice in protecting and preserving life (emphasis mine).

He also posits that the police at all times should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police are the only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the intent of the community welfare.

Lessons from Robert Peel’s Policing Principles are similar to what Rotary Club represents. Consequently, beyond being a classical case study in security and development, the values of service, friendship, community-driven functions, community welfare and development and passion for just and fair society which constitute the core of Rotary existence also present classical lessons for the Nigeria Police Force. For if the Police, as the constitutionally recognized primary law enforcement agency in Nigeria could emulate and integrate these virtues to their psyche, their disposition to the public will be positively altered, their legitimacy guaranteed, the attainment of their Mandate will be assured, and the elusive development of our nation attained.

 

__________________

Dr S.E. Arase, NPM, fdc, is the immediate past Inspector General of Police.

He holds a B.sc in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, an LL.B from University of Benin, and LL.M from Lagos State University, specializing in Corporate Management and Finance Law. He also holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from University of Ibadan, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Law from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, in Edo State. He is a Fellow of Nigeria Defence College and recipient of the National Police Medal (NPM). He is also a Member of the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

0