NPF’s Ayuba Sunday Bags Peace Fellowship Award

By Genesis ogiri 

Abuja — On that luminous evening at Barcelona Hotel, the familiar blue of the police uniform told a story beyond sirens and duty. It was no longer stitched only with the threads of order and law, but with the softer fabric of peace. In that hall of honor, Ambassador Ayuba Sunday, an officer of the Nigeria Police Force, stood tall as the emblem of enforcement was crowned with the laurel of reconciliation. His decoration with the Fellowship Award of the Institute of Global Peace and Conflict Management became more than ceremony; it was the marriage of badge and olive branch, the blending of the officer’s stern duty with the ambassador’s gentle call for harmony.

Dr. Ayuba was further decorated with the designation of Licensed Peace and Security Consultant (LPSC) by the Institute, in affiliation with the Dunstan University of West Africa.

According to the Institute’s leadership, the honor was conferred in recognition of his competence, professional practice, and unwavering commitment to maintaining global best practices in peace and security consultancy. By this conferment, he joins a select group of professionals entrusted with advancing dialogue, fostering conflict resolution, and strengthening sustainable peace across communities.

The Institute’s President and Registrar, in a joint statement, praised Dr. Ayuba for embodying the “rare balance between duty and diplomacy,” noting that his elevation reflects the growing need for security professionals who combine enforcement with empathy, law with reconciliation, and order with peace.

In his response, Dr. Ayuba expressed gratitude to God, his family, and the leadership of the Institute for the recognition, describing it as a mandate to deepen his lifelong commitment to peacebuilding.

“This honor calls me to serve with greater responsibility,” he said. “True security is not only about preventing crime but about creating a society where justice, understanding, and harmony flourish. I will continue to dedicate my efforts toward fostering peace in Nigeria and beyond.”

As the applause echoed through the Barcelona Hotel, it was clear that the evening marked not just another feather in the officer’s cap, but a powerful symbol: that the guardians of law can also be the architects of peace, and that in the journey of nation-building, the badge and the olive branch must walk hand in hand.

Moments after the medal was fastened across his chest, Ayuba faced the press. With calm humility, he declared:

“This recognition comes at the right time. It is not just an honor for me, but a call to serve with greater dedication. The badge of a police officer is not only about law enforcement; it must also represent peacekeeping, reconciliation, and hope for society. I urge the Institute to form stronger alliances with governments, because peacebuilding cannot be left in silos—it must be collective.”

His words reflected not just personal gratitude but also the larger shift in how policing is increasingly seen—not as brute enforcement, but as community stewardship.

The induction was more than pageantry. Dignitaries from academia, civil society, and the security sector filled the hall, recognizing that this fellowship signaled the expanding role of the Nigeria Police in peacebuilding.

Institute President, Dr. Ambassador Adetunberu Oludotun, described Ayuba as “a peace officer whose service embodies the ideals of unity and justice. He represents the best of what law enforcement can be when it embraces reconciliation and nation-building.”

The Registrar, Amb. Joshua Tarhule, added another layer of responsibility, charging the inductees to carry the fellowship “like a shield of ethical leadership,” reminding them that decorations mean little unless they inspire transformative service.

Observers noted that Ayuba’s recognition carried symbolic weight. The police uniform, often associated with enforcement and authority, became in this moment a garment of peace. His fellowship stood as evidence that a Nigerian police officer could be celebrated not only for operational efficiency, but also for advancing dialogue, harmony, and reconciliation in turbulent times.

Ayuba himself leaned into that symbolism. His remarks framed the fellowship not as a personal achievement alone but as a mandate for the institution he represents. His call for collaboration between governments and peace institutes underscored the necessity of integrating security work with conflict management expertise.

For Ayuba, the evening was transformative. What could have been a routine induction was instead a reminder of the police officer’s double burden: to enforce law, yes, but also to nurture peace. His fellowship award etched his name among peace ambassadors, yet also reaffirmed the credibility of the Nigeria Police Force in a country yearning for trust, order, and unity.

As the applause faded in the Barcelona Hotel hall, the fellowship badge shone on Ayuba’s chest. To many present, it was more than a decoration—it was proof that the uniform of the Nigeria Police can, indeed, be worn as a symbol of peace.