By Amb Prince Sixtus Opara
In a rare gesture of unity and religious tolerance, particularly in a nation often defined by its religious and regional diversity, a former Inspector General of Police and former Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), Chief Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, recently funded and completed the construction of a mosque at Police Secondary School, Minna, Niger State.
Despite being a Christian from the southern part of Nigeria, Chief Okiro’s rare act that bridges divides emerged from his quiet generosity.
It is a gesture that speaks louder than speeches, and one that deserves to be celebrated, commended and emulated across the country.
A quintessential gentleman with the fear of God, Chief Sir Mike Mbama Okiro has spent decades in public service, rising through the ranks of the Nigeria Police Force to its highest office and rank of becoming the Inspector-General of Police, and later steered the Police Service Commission as the Executive Chairman.
Throughout his career, he earned a reputation as a disciplined officer, an administrator of integrity, and above all, a quintessential gentleman par excellence.
Those who know him say his public conduct has always been guided by a deep reverence for God Almighty, and a conviction that public office is a trust to be used for the common good. This latest gesture only reinforces that conviction.
Police Secondary School, Minna, serves students from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. The new mosque provides Muslim students, staff, and members of the host community with a dignified space for worship, reflection, and moral formation.
For a Christian statesman to build a place of worship for adherents of another faith within a federal institution is more than philanthropy. It is a deliberate act of inclusion. It says that in Nigeria, faith should not be a barrier to fellowship, and that public institutions can and should be spaces where all Nigerians feel at home.
Why This Gesture Matters for Nigeria
Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity. Yet diversity can become a source of tension when it is politicized and weaponized. Chief Okiro’s action offers a counter-narrative:
1. It Models Religious Tolerance: By building a mosque, a Christian elder shows that respect for another’s faith is not a threat to one’s own.
2. It Strengthens National Cohesion: In a security institution like the Nigeria Police, such gestures foster trust between officers, students, and communities of different faiths.
3. It Sets a Standard for Leadership: True leadership is measured not by what one takes, but by what one gives back, especially to those who may not share your creed or region.
4. It Educates the Next Generation: Students at Police Secondary School Minna are witnessing firsthand that patriotism transcends religion. That lesson will shape their outlook as future officers and citizens.
A Call to Emulate Chief Sir Mike Okiro (IGP Rtd)
Nigeria needs more public figures who are willing to act above the fault lines of religion and ethnicity. Chief Sir Mike Mbama Okiro has shown that it is possible to be deeply rooted in one’s faith while remaining open, generous, and respectful toward others.
This is the kind of leadership Nigeria needs if it is to move from fragile coexistence to genuine unity. It is leadership that recognizes that the mosque and the church, the Muslim and the Christian are all stakeholders in the Nigerian project.
Chief Sir Mike Mbama Okiro’s gesture deserves more than applause. It deserves to be replicated!
Also, while speaking at the opening ceremony, the Emir of Kagara, Malam Garba Attahiru, commended Chief Mike Okiro for promoting peace and unity through the project and thereby conferred on him the traditional title of ” Sarkin-Haske of Niger in recognition of his contribution to humanity and National unity.
Religious leaders, traditional rulers, retired public servants, and private citizens all have a role to play in building bridges where others build walls.
In building that mosque, Chief Sir Mike Mbama Okiro has built something greater, a monument to tolerance, mutual respect, and the shared humanity that binds Nigerians together.
This is making it the fourth Mosque he either built or renovated across the country, Nigeria.
Nigeria will be stronger when more leaders follow his examples.
•Opara is the SA Media to Chief Sir Mike Mbama Okiro.
