A NEW BEGINNING
ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL INSTITUTE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGY ADMNISTRATION, HIS ROYAL MAJESTY OBA (DR.) GBADEBO BAJOWA,JP,FICJ,FCICN AT THE INVESTITURE CEREMONY HELD AT THE LCCI CONFERENCE & EXHIBITON CENTRE ON THURSDAY MARCH 28TH 2018.
Consider it a great honor and privilege to have this rear opportunity to address this August gathering on the occasion of my investiture as the 1st President of the Institute of Criminal Justice and Criminology Administration (ICJCA), the foremost professional body that is all embracing in security issues and its allied, in the African content. Established in 2012 and presently expanding our membership tentacles for chartering in the nearest future, the Institute is the first security professional Institute in Nigeria with core competence in Law enforcement, Probation and Parole, Corrections. Hence, the term Criminal Justice refers to an area of knowledge concerned with understanding and controlling of crime through the Law enforcement agencies, Courts and Correction. It is an interdisciplinary field that drew much upon the knowledge basis of Sociology, Psychology, Law, Public policy and other related disciplines to develop insights into the causes and prevention of criminal behavior.
I wish to formally congratulate all the newly elected members of Council on their making it to the Council after much scrutiny. Your names will surely be written in the sands of time as the pioneer members of council of this unique Institute of Criminal Justice and Criminology Administration (ICJCA), you would have proven that you are fit and proper persons to serve on the Council at this time in the Institute’s history.
My profound gratitude equally goes to the founder and Registrar of this noble Institute, Dr. Primus Emenuga, who in his God given wisdom, doggedness and love for this country founded this institute for the betterment of our dear country and her justice system.
I must confess that I feel daunted to be stepping into the big shoes of this unique and noble institute, but at the same time feel encouraged and determined to serve with humility and setting a pace that others will follow, ready to leave a lasting legacy that will be visible for upcoming generation to see. May the Lord help us and bless our efforts.
Looking Ahead
The institute has come a long way since inception in 2012, as it has continued to work hard to promote and live up to its vision and mission. We are grateful to the founder/ Registrar and his visionary team for keeping this light shining and all members of the institute who have contributed to the growth of the institute, upholding the advancement of the ideals and tenets of criminology to bring ICJCA to where it is today. In our continued pursuit of excellent and justice and in the bid to upgrade the good image and reputation of the institute, we plan to review some aspects of our programme and activities and make needed changes where necessary.
As you might have gleaned from the above paragraphs, I am in love with the professional code of conduct of the institute, crafted by divine inspiration of our founding Hero and which has proven to be relevant to and appropriate for all times. We can indulge our imagination of what a country Nigeria would have been if all those entrusted with the sacred responsibility of justice to our nation had discharge their duties in accordance with ICJCA’s code of conduct. Consequently, we would encourage member of the institute not just to recite the code of conduct as a matter of routine or more formality, but to read or recite it reflectively and adopt it as a personal code of conduct in all their decisions, actions, and thought process, personal and professional. If this is achieved, we would have succeeded in kick-starting the much needed attitudinal and ethical change that will move our nation to a stage of development and well being of our people that reflects nature’s generous and abundant material and human resources endowment.
The Institute has on its register over 500 names within the short period of her existence as members in various categories; this number by His grace will be tripled during my tenor. However, not up to 3% of this number meets their membership obligations. It is the intention of this administration to enforce a law that will put every member on his toes to meet their obligatory duty to enable us meet our desired goals as soon as possible. As we will not relent in meeting the Institute’s Charter dealing with the preparation, maintenance and publication of a Register in accordance with the rules and conditions set by Council. We, therefore, appeal to all members to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Act in relation to their membership and ensure their compliance.
We acknowledge that neither the management nor the principal officers of the Institute can cover all the nooks and crannies of the country in which our members live and work. We will therefore endeavor to strengthen and enlarge our membership tentacles to cut across all the six geo political zones in Nigeria with zonal offices and management staff which constitute its operating arm and its apostles spreading the gospel of Criminal Justice and Criminology Administration.
We would endeavor to improve on the existing justice system in Nigeria by developing and providing good but strategic security administrators and defence initiative in both government and private organizations. In effect the emphasis is on the provision of a board based programme that equips members with necessary knowledge, skills, attitude and aptitude in Criminal Justice Administration and Criminology of the modern society. The relationship between the Institute and the corporate world will be so strong, cordial and mutually beneficial that most of the Institute’s projects and activities will be partly financed by them. In return, the Institute will provide Criminology and Security training/workshop for the individual and Corporate members. We know the importance of such and we will welcome and embrace such collaboration and mutually beneficial relationships. We plan to woo Corporate members and restore them to the Centre of the Institute’s activities and governance.
Top of the agenda in our public advocacy is to sponsor and conduct research into some of the challenges in our Justice System and Criminology administration confronting our country. This will impact greatly in the much talked about corruption bedeviling the country.
In order to achieve these set objectives, the importance of the cooperation, motivation and commitment of the Institute’s management Staff and indeed, of all members of the Institute, cannot be overemphasized. Management and staff have the sole responsibility of implementing the policies and decisions of Council and making the Institute work seamlessly. In this respect, we will encourage, motivate and reward excellence in service while incompetence, dishonesty, fraud, truancy and any other unethical workplace practice would be sanctioned. I urged the members of the staff who have been majorly responsible for the recent successes recorded by the Institute to continue to put the interest of the Institute above all other interests. If we can borrow from Trump’s mantra, all of us members, principal officers and staff must put the ICJCA first.
ICJCA will arguably become the richest organization in Nigeria. This is not in terms of monetary but in terms of members’ transparent display of Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity which stands as her motto. It is in this regard that we call on our members to be more active and participative in the Institute’s activities. Please bring us your suggestions on what we need to do that we are not doing, or what we are doing that can do better. Propose programmes or project you can collaboratively execute with the Institute. And avail your Institute of your knowledge, expertise, and experience when we call upon you for help, as we aim at making the ICJCA the security think thank contributory to the security architecture of the nation.
In keeping with the words and spirit of our national anthem, we must always acknowledge and appreciate the “labor of our heroes’ past”. In this respect, we wound initiate the “ICJCA, we care” programme.
In closing this address, I must acknowledge the contributions and support of members of my family, friends, colleagues and neighbors. In particular, I must express my thanks to my two wives both late and alive, my children, brothers and sisters, my friends and classmates in the various institutions I attended or in which I have worked, for their contributions to my personal and professional development. I must thank many others, my children’s friends, neighbours in church, society members, for the courtesy of their presence at this ceremony. Much more, than ever before, I need your continued support and prayers.
We thank the press for serving as our collaborators in conveying and amplifying our voice in propagating the gospel of improved Justice System and Criminology Administration. We look forward to a deeper relation in developing joint programme and activities aimed at providing solutions to the challenges facing our Security institutions and country.
Once more, I thank all for finding time to be here to witness this day. I humbly ask you to continue supporting the Institute and us with your prayers in the years ahead. As many have travelled considerable distances in order to grace this occasion, it is our prayers that the Lord would grant you travelling mercies are you travel back home.
Thank you all for your time and the courtesy of your attention.
God bless Institute of Criminal Justice and Criminology Administration; God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
March29, 2018.
Dr. Lionel C. M. von Frederick Rawlins, FESMI, CESM, DILMMD, is the Vice President (VP) of Safety and Security Systems Management at the American University of Nigeria (AUN). He is also the Director of the Centre for Conflict Analysis, Early Warning, and Peacebuilding (C-CAEWP) and Associate Professor. Dr. Rawlins has served as a dissertation committee member and dissertation committee chair for many doctoral candidates. He is also a United States Marine, a Fellow of the Environment and Safety Management Institute (FESMI), a Distinguished Fellow and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) Honoris Causa of the Institute of Leadership Manpower and Management Development (DFILMMD).
Dr Rawlins has presented before Members of Congress, the United States Institute of Peace, the Department of Defence, the Pentagon, and the National Press Club. He has provided executive security for many world leaders as well as high level diplomats. He has provided security for embassies/consulates and ambassadors of the US, UK, Ireland, Cameroon, Rwanda, Canada, Israel, European Union, South Africa, India, Switzerland, Venezuela, Norway, and Denmark. He has also provided security and support to The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and many other media houses and NGO groups.
As a scholar, Dr Rawlins has published and presented at international conferences and seminars, given keynote addresses, and served on television and radio as an international security analyst and expert. He has written and co-authored several books including the popular Satanic Cults and Ritualistic Crimes (Kendal Hunt, 2011). One of his many publications, Theories of Crime Causation, has been widely read and cited by students and academicians. He has also been featured in several distinguished magazines such as The Smithsonian, The Economist, Rotarian, National Geographic, and many international news publications. He has also appeared on BBC, Fox News, CBC Canada, Aljazeera, Voice of America (VOA), Gotel Africa, to name a few.
Dr. Rawlins is president and founder of The VonFrederick Group (www.vonfrederick.com), a Sacramento, California, based counter-terrorism and criminological organization, as well as a sister group, VonFrederick Global Security – Africa. Dr Rawlins has working experience in Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe, Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East and the Far East, in the capacity of a counter-terrorist and a criminologist. He has appeared on numerous television interviews and talk-radio, discussing homeland security and terrorism issues, as well as criminal profiling and criminal behavior.
He has been an associate professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Sociology, History, Ethnic Studies, Business Management, and Leadership. Dr Rawlins has also lectured at Gakushuin University, in Tokyo, Japan and is a lecturer/trainer at the Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College.
Dr. Rawlins also worked as the Executive Director of a facility that housed teenage female gang-members involved in drugs, prostitution and extremely violent crimes. He was the administrator of another facility for extremely violent adolescent boys affiliated with gangs. He has been Head of Security for major private companies and is a consultant on school violence. He has spoken, written and published extensively on the ritualistic crimes of satanic cults.
From his experience, Dr Rawlins has observed military and world leaders, managers, administrators, CEOs and other senior executives struggle in the face of impending threats of domestic and international terrorism, and with the effects of crime and criminality on their organization’s assets. His military training and educational background are definite assets to his counter-terrorism and criminological attributes.
Dr Rawlins’ unique synthesis of expertise in criminogenic and the asymmetrical war on terror puts him in great demand as an international lecturer, commentator, criminologist, and counter-terrorist.