Of course, at one time or the other in our lives, most of us have had the wish to join a force. It can be any force at all, definitely the one that catches our fancy and we feel drawn towards because of one thing or the other.
There are various reasons for this. It can be because the simple reason of how cool their job is, or how they get to protect the people and do it so selflessly and courageously in the face of danger. It can also be the reason of wanting to join them the minute we are able to.
There are different factors that influence the need to join a force, be it military or paramilitary. And these factors are also what gets to determine the kind of force that we would desire to join. For many of us, the wish will end there, as just a wish. And for many others, it will go on to become a hunger to serve the fatherland in a capacity that only a select few venture into.
Well, in this regard, I am like most folks. While I have never really seen myself getting involved in the military, I have always been more fascinated with the Police. And the reason for this stemmed from the fact that I saw a fully dressed and properly kitted police officer back when I was a teenager and he looked so cool that I also wanted to dress like that. Even if it meant becoming a policeman.
And when I say fully dressed, I mean wearing everything. His uniform was neatly tucked, his boots were sparkling under the sun, and there were knee pads and elbow pads on his legs and arms, he also had on a bulletproof vest. He was not carrying a rifle, as many of the ones we see around do, this man had a shiny pistol tucked into his holster. He looked so calm and poised, at ease but also ready for the slightest sign of danger.
I didn’t see him for long, because I was walking past the place. I watched as he walked out of a shop and got on a power bike, then he zoomed off. That image was burned into my memory from that moment. It made me want to become a police officer so badly.
But then, I grew up. And I realized what many of us were suffering at the hands of the police and the force lost its appeal to me. I didn’t want to belong to a group where things like bribery were commonplace. But still, the man in my head always looked immaculate to me, like he could never do any harm despite all that the corrupt officers were doing to tarnish the name.
Anyway, as I grew a bit older, my wants changed. And so did my tastes. And I began to lean toward the Department of State Services (DSS). That is Nigeria’s equivalent of the State Security Service (SSS). They are charged with investigating and preventing threats against Nigerian security. They are on a whole different level, with secret services and agents that are scattered all over the country.
I can’t really vouch for this last statement though, agents may be all over the country and they may not. I have absolutely no idea. But I do know that they have the power to operate in all states of the country and one thing I have seen is that they are quick and heavy to hit when they have focused on their criminal.
This would have been a perfect choice for me, but then in recent times, I have found that the agency was a bit like the police. Too much for my liking.
I have no idea if they also accept bribes, but what put me off is the fact that they have become sort of politically motivated, instead of working for the good of everyone. Those in power make use of the agency to put perceived enemies behind bars and stump on their rights, they are loyal only to those in power.
We see reports of this sort of thing happening regularly, putting the agency in a bad light. And that was how I also lost interest in them as well. I would rather belong to an organization that really cares about the welfare of the people than those in power. And if they are not it, then they are not for me.
I am not a military person, but I do have something to do and a wish for when things eventually get better. The world will become a better place and everyone will not have to be scared of those that are charged with protecting them. If I am to join DSS, I will make sure that I change it inside out so that only those that are clean as a whistle will remain. It will mark a new dawn in the agency.
So, my dear friends, what do you think of this? Did you think I made the right choices? Do you have a better one? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. Till we meet in the next post.
Thank you for reading. Till we meet in the next post.
This post is inspired by the second topic of this week which is Armed Force, Feel free to take part.
