My colleagues now think I am a big man, - National honours awardee

When he joined the Nigeria police force, his greatest ambition was to earn his salary as a low ranking police officer, raise a family and ensure that his children would go to school so that they would one day live a better and more rewarding life than their father.But when President Goodluck Jonathan rewarded Corporal Solomon Dauda with a national honour of Member of the Order of Niger, (MON) last week, his world changed so dramatically that sometimes he has to pinch himself to be sure that he is not dreaming.

Mr. Onu, Usuah and Corporal DaudaNational Honours Awardees , Mr onuh Micheal (MON) , the Head, Presidential Stewards, who has served under nine different heads of states/presidents; a Taxi Driver, Mr Imeh Usuah, who returned the sum of N18m (eighteen million naira) forgotten in his car by a customer and Mr Solomon Dauda (MON), a Traffic Warden, for his acrobatic agility in controlling traffic, at the investiture in Abuja recently.For residents of Abuja, Cpl Dauda’s performance while directing motorists at the some of the intersections around Jabi and Utako is not only entertaining but demonstrates the duty of a man who is not only content at what he is doing but satisfied with his job.
It is this dexterity at doing his job that Cpl Dauda was nominated for the award of national honour of the Member of the Order of Niger.In a speech after the conferment of the national honors on 313 Nigerians last week, President Jonathan specifically singled out Cpl Dauda for eulogy. He said: “For many of you in Abuja or who visit our Nation’s capital, you must have seen a hard working traffic warden who does his job with great dexterity, glee and happiness. As a traffic officer, he delights in entertaining commuters by graceful gyrations and gesticulations as he efficiently directs traffic. CPL Solomon Dauda carries on his job with evident pride and dignity!Apart from being conferred with the national Honour, President Goodluck Jonathan directed that the police officer with two others, the head of presidential steward as well as an honest Taxi driver who returned 18million naira to a passenger that abandoned the money in his cab be given a house in the Federal Capital territory.When Saturday Vanguard traced Cpl Solomon Dauda to his duty post at the Arab Contractors junction along Berger-Jabi express way earlier in the week, an elated Dauda still had his medal on his uniform, describing the day the president conferred the award on him as ‘my happiest day’.According to him, when he joined the police force in 2003, he never contemplated that he would become the cynosure of national eye because of his dexterity at work. He said his aim was to do his job and from his earning take care of his family till he joins his ancestors. So after he left the police training college in Maiduguri, Borno state and was posted to the Federal Capital Territory, he looked forward to doing his best as a police man to curb crimes and bring criminals to book. But this changed when he was posted from General Duty beat after two years and sent to the Traffic section to control traffic flow especially when the traffic lights seize to function due to power failure.In spattering English, Cpl Dauda explained to Saturday Vanguard ‘when I started the traffic control, I discovered that people were happy with what I was doing and this spurred me to give my best to the job. In a show of appreciation motorists sometimes give me money and this has helped in augmenting my salary”.According to the police officer who is married with a daughter, the police force has given him recognition that he would not have gotten from any other profession and he is ready to encourage his children to also join the force if they indicate interest to join the force.But his recognition by the nation and the subsequent reward that came with it has its own problems which he never anticipated. He told Saturday Vanguard that his colleagues now see him as a big man. On the positive side however, some of his colleagues who hitherto had lukewarm attitude to work have decided to increase their dedication with the hope that they too would be recognized one day.“Some of my colleagues are happy and have decided to be more hard working. Some think that I am now a big man because the president said they should give me a house. Some have even said that why was I singled out for recognition and not other police men and officers. But it is the will of God. I have been doing this work (traffic Control) for only nine years. Some people have been here longer than me. But if you are happy doing what you are doing and people appreciate what you are doing, you will be motivated to do more” he said.Even though he has been given national honour and a promise of a house in the FCT, Cpl Dauda said nothing will make him leave being on the road as traffic police.“The happiest day of my life was when the president gave me the national Honour. I am a very happy man and I will never leave the road. This is where I feed myself and family from. When I pay my rent and my daughter’s school fees from my salary, I would be left with almost nothing. I don’t collect bribe but from the voluntary gift from members of the public in appreciation of my work, I get by. I will remain here doing what I know how to do best” he said.