Olatunji Rilwan Disu — “A Man of Destiny”

By Qasim Akinreti, Ph.D.

One of the foremost Nigerian musicians, King Sunny Ade, has an evergreen song titled “Destiny.” In the song, Sunny Ade sings: “Destiny, my destiny can never be changed at all. My destiny is from God!”

According to www.yourdictionary.com, destiny is defined in several ways: what will necessarily happen to any person or thing; one’s fate; the seemingly inevitable or necessary succession of events; a predetermined course of events; the fixed order of things; invincible necessity; fate; or an irresistible power or agency conceived as determining the future, whether in general or for an individual.

The Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria refer to destiny as Ayanmo. An adage is often associated with it: “Ayanmo o gboogun, ori le le jo,” meaning destiny cannot be cured by any medicine; the head is the allocator.

The Islamic scripture, the Holy Qur’an, also captures the aforementioned definition of destiny in several verses.

According to Murtadha Mutahhari’s book, Man and His Destiny (1984), published by Islamic Seminary Publications on al-islam.org, the concept of destiny is referenced in many Qur’anic passages.
Suratul Al-Imran is emphatic: “Say: Allah! Owner of Sovereignty! You bestow sovereignty on whom You will, and You withdraw it from whom You will. In Your hand is all that is good. Indeed, You have power over all things.” (Surah Al-Imran 3:26).

Certainly, during the Aqeeqah (naming ceremony) of young Rilwan, his parents, Alhaji and Alhaja Disu, as devoted Muslims, must have invited Islamic scholars to pray for long life and posterity for their son.

That arguably explains the widespread parental salute to Mama Disu when Tunji Disu was promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police in Abuja. Social media was agog with the historic honour accorded to a proud mother.

This analysis is about the man of the moment, the new Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, born on April 13, 1966. Ordinarily, by April 13, 2026, the IGP would have retired from the Nigeria Police Force and been enjoying a quiet life in his Lagos home.

However, it appears to have been decreed by Allah (Almighty God) that in March 2026, Olatunji Rilwan Disu would reach the zenith of his career, just one month before his official retirement.
With this appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it is clear that destiny has bestowed even greater honour on IGP Tunji Rilwan Disu.

He rose through the ranks, understands the terrain, and has led policing operations in Ondo, Ogun, Lagos, Rivers State, the Federal Capital Territory, and even in Darfur, Sudan, on behalf of the African Union.

Specifically, as the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Lagos, I first met the new IGP in 2017 when I was the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council.

Mr. Tunji Wusu, publisher of Premier Newspaper and a member of the Security Committee of the Lagos NUJ Council, led my executive members to the RRS office in Alausa, Lagos.

The RRS office was the immediate neighbour of the Lagos State Government Press Centre, named after the late Bagulda Kalto.

Our mission was to encourage mutual understanding between the police and media practitioners—journalists—in Lagos State. Abdul Malik was the Public Relations Officer of the RRS at the time, on secondment from the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy.

The then RRS Commander, Mr. Tunji Disu, enlisted my support for regular lectures on understanding the roles of security agencies and the media in national security. The venue was the parade ground of the RRS in Ikeja, Lagos. The commitment was sealed.

I became a regular guest lecturer at the RRS. Between 2017 and 2020, the Lagos State Police Command often consulted the union whenever journalists had issues with the police.

During the NUJ Press Week in 2017, Mrs. Mary Fatile, an investigative reporter with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Defence Correspondent, nominated Mr. Disu for an award. The NUJ Congress approved the nomination.

It is noteworthy that the RRS has received numerous awards as one of the most effective urban policing units in West Africa. The squad was awarded the Most Outstanding Urban Crime Control Police Command in West and Central Africa in 2019.

Lagos was also named the Best Security and Most Safety-Conscious State in Africa by Security Watch Africa (SWA) in Johannesburg in 2016, while the RRS received recognition as the Best Anti-Crime Police Squad in West Africa the same year.

Other recognitions of Mr. Disu’s professionalism include:
One of the longest-serving and best Divisional Police Officers in Ondo State
Most Outstanding Police Operational Officer in West Africa, 2016
Most Outstanding Police Operational Officer in Africa, 2016
Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) Man of the Year, 2018
Most Outstanding Anti-Crime Police Chief in the West and Central Africa category
Best Commissioner of Police of the Year, 2024

After one of the lecture series, I organised a prayer session for the RRS Commander in his office. Tunji Wusu, Abdul Malik, Ismail Adegbola, Owolabi, Sutton, the late Adekunle, and I offered prayers from both Islamic and Christian perspectives.

I concluded the prayers with a wish that one day Mr. Tunji Disu would become the Inspector-General of Police. The expression on his face suggested surprise, perhaps wondering whether such a prophecy could come true, given his years of service and the many senior officers ahead of him.

I continued to repeat the same prayer during my visits to Mr. Tunji Disu at the Intelligence Response Team office in Guzape and later at the Police Headquarters in Abuja.

When he was confirmed as the new IGP, I placed a call to remind him of those prayers and his destiny.

His spiritual development, academic prowess, and strong human relations have prepared him for the task destiny has bestowed upon him.

Significantly, Mr. Tunji Disu has always been known for exceptional discipline, professionalism, and a strong work ethic. These qualities have been evident in his major pronouncements since assuming office as Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police.

I am extremely happy that he has a strong team of Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) supporting him in the task ahead.

My continued prayers for his success in the task ahead remain assured

Akinreti, Ph.D, Head, Digital Media, Voice of Nigeria. Former Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council (2017–2020).