THE 20 WOMEN WHO MADE NIGERIAN POLICE HISTORY IN 1955
THE 20 WOMEN WHO MADE NIGERIAN POLICE HISTORY IN 1955
In 1955, something happened in Nigeria that had never happened before.
For the first time, women were formally recruited into the Nigeria Police Force.
Only 20 women were selected for the pioneering Women’s Police Branch.
They began their training at the Southern Police College in Ikeja, Lagos, the institution that later became the Police College, Ikeja. After months of training, the first group passed out in early 1956.
But being a policewoman in those days was very different from being one today.
The pioneers were largely assigned duties involving women and children, including juvenile welfare, traffic duties, school-crossing duties, clerical work and other responsibilities.
They were also initially restricted from carrying fire@rms.
And entering a profession that had been dominated by men was not easy.
They had to prove that women could wear the uniform, undergo police training and perform important duties in the Force.
One of those pioneers was Stella Opuiyo, later known as Stella Okuyiga. She joined the 19 other women at the Southern Police College in October 1955 and later served for more than three decades.
Another pioneer, Joy Kanu, joined in 1955 with badge number 0018. After training, she was posted to the Criminal Investigation Department and later became known for her traffic-control duties in Lagos.
Think about that for a moment.
Just 20 women started the journey.
Today, Nigerian women serve throughout the Police Force in roles that those pioneers could hardly have imagined.
From those first 20 women in 1955 to generations of female police officers who followed them, the story of women in the Nigeria Police Force is also a story of how Nigeria itself changed.
Can you imagine what it must have been like to be one of those first 20 women to put on the police uniform? 🇳🇬
