Abubakar Mohammed Wakili, 29, is the second son of CP Mohammed Wakili (Singham), who served as Commissioner of Police in Katsina and Kano States Command and recently retired from the Nigerian Police Force after serving for 33 years. In this interview, he talks about his father’s character and more. Excerpts:
Daily Trust: How would you describe your father?
Abubakar Mohammed Wakili: My father is a caring, generous and godly person. He has always been my role model. He is the most supportive and simplest person every child would want as a father.
DT: What was your relationship like with him while you were growing up?
Wakili: It was a fruitful one. He was always by our side to guide us in becoming responsible adults. He always tells us the truth and strives hard to inculcate that habit in us.
DT: What fun childhood memories do you have about him?
Wakili: I remember when he took us to the beach and other recreation centers during holidays in Lagos. I also remember his fondness for traditional music. His favourite song is by Dr Mamman Shata. He played it whenever he was at home and we would sit with him to listen keenly.
DT: When did you realise that your father is a renowned person?
Wakili: Recently, when his video as CP in Katsina State went viral on the internet. However, ever since his subsequent videos when he was in Kano went viral online, I have seen an increase in friend requests on my social media handles, because my picture is there and people are saying that we look alike.
DT: Has his name opened doors for you?
Wakili: Not really, because he trained us to be self-reliant.
DT: What misconceptions about him would you like to correct?
Wakili: Because of his body language, some people are of the view that he takes drugs, but this is far away from the truth. That is his nature and the way he talks. He does things with passion.
DT: What easily gets him upset and why?
Wakili: He hates injustice. He is a religious person and in Islam injustice is prohibited, so he easily gets upset whenever he sees an act of injustice being perpetrated.
DT: If he wasn’t a police officer, what other profession do you think he would have excelled at?
Wakili: I think he will excel as a teacher, because he is good at mentoring and likes helping people reach their full potential.
DT: What attribute of his would you say you have imbibed?
Wakili: I will leave that to people who know us to decide. However, I think I am still trying to imbibe his simplicity.
DT: How much influence did he have on your life?
Wakili: He has so much influence on me and my other sixteen siblings. He wants to see us educated. He said it is the only thing that he can leave us with. Two of us have already graduated, while six others are in various universities.
DT: You are a graduate of Business Administration from Gombe State University. What influence did he have in the choice of your course of study?
Wakili: He encouraged me to be in the business studies class during my secondary school days, so I can be independent and not rely on government jobs. After my SSCE, I felt the need to have a vast knowledge of the subject. This prompted me to choose the course I studied.
DT: How did you feel when he was promoted to the rank of Commissioner of Police?
Wakili: I was excited because I felt it was a well-deserved promotion which was long overdue.
DT: When you are with him these days, what do you talk about?
Wakili: We discuss about life generally and he constantly advises me to fear Allah in whatever I do, because we will account before Allah on the day of judgment.
DT: What has he been up to since his retirement?
Wakili: Just some few days after his retirement, he went on lesser Hajj to Saudi Arabia and is yet to return. So, for now, it is not yet clear to us what he will do. He is keeping that close to his chest.
