Perceived Workplace Fairness, Transformational Leadership and Motivation in the Nigeria Police: Implications for Change
| Author | Dada O. Adebayo |
| DOI | 10.1350/ijps.7.2.110.65774 |
| Published date | 01 May 2005 |
| Date | 01 May 2005 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Perceived workplace fairness,
transformational leadership and
motivation in the Nigeria police:
implications for change
Dada O. Adebayo
Department of Psychology, Faculty of the Social Sciences
University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; tel: 234 08023446966; email:
do.adebayo@mail.ui.edu.ng or oloreetan@yahoo.com
Received 18 May 2004; revised and accepted 24 August 2004.
D.O. Adebayo is a lecturer at the Department of
was used to explain these findings and its impli-
Psychology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He
cations for motivational changes for the Nigeria
received his PhD in Industrial/Organisational
police are discussed.
Psychology from the University of Ibadan. With
his research interests in organizational and
gender-related issues, Dr Adebayo has pub-
INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND
lished in learned journals. His current research
The police force is an important institution
focuses on management and organisational
in any society that maintains law and order
issues in the public sector including the police.
and also ensures the security of lives and
property. The Nigeria police are also
charged with responsibility for crime pre-
ABSTRACT
vention and assigned military duties within
Recent attempts at raising the work motivation of
or without the country. However, many
the Nigeria police by the present democratic
Nigerian observers perceive that the police
government of Nigeria have largely been directed
are not doing enough in their assigned
at the provision of material resources without
roles. Reasons adduced for this perception
adequate attention to other organisational factors
include the rampant cases of armed robbery,
that are salient to motivation. To fill this gap, the
gruesome murder/assassinations and other
current study examined the interaction of per-
violent crime that have become the order of
ceived workplace fairness and transformational
the day in Nigeria.
leadership behaviour on the work motivation of
According to Olatise (2001) the apparent
the rank and file of the Nigeria police. Using a
dismal performance of this vital security
cross-sectional survey design, data were collected
organ of government is the result of years of
from a total of 184 participants. Results of a 2 ×
cumulative neglect by successive regimes.
2 ANOVA revealed significant main effects as
He went on to chronicle the woes of the
well as an interaction effect. Post hoc analysis
rank and file (the non-commissioned offi-
showed that participants were best motivated
cers) of the Nigeria police including under-
International Journal of Police
when both perceived transformational leadership
payment, stressful working conditions, poor
Science and Management,
Vol. 7 No. 2, 2005, pp. 110–122.
behaviour and workplace fairness were high, and
equipment, and inadequate accommoda-
© Vathek Publishing,
1461–3557
least motivated when low. Social exchange theory
tion. Other matters of concern are the near
Page 110
Adebayo
absence of promotion, inadequate opera-
assassinations, has been on the increase as
tional vehicles and erratic communication
evidenced in the print media (eg Adebanjo,
facilities (Olatise). The consequence of
2004; Constitutional Rights Project, 2003).
these on the motivation to work are not
This has not justified the resources com-
far-fetched: indiscipline, inaction, selective
mitted to boosting the work motivation of
order enforcement (neglect of crime and
the force. The inadequate performance of
services) and orientation toward self-
the Nigeria police cannot be entirely attrib-
interest.
uted to lack of resources and personnel; it
Concerned with this moral, physical and
has rather confirmed the fact that resources
infrastructural decay, the present democratic
in themselves are not sufficient in bringing
administration has put a number of meas-
about a desired change (Hills, 2001). Given
ures in place since its inception in 1999, to
the ineffectiveness of the resources com-
address the deplorable situation of the
mitted to boost the motivation and morale
police. These measures are highlighted in a
of the Nigeria police, evidence abounds
federal government online publication,
that two major issues may be central to the
Democracy Good Governance & Development in
motivation of the Nigeria police. They are:
Nigeria (Nigeria Government, n.d.). Not-
perceived leadership style and work place
able among the measures is the recruitment
fairness.
of 40,000 policemen annually. This, accord-
The leadership of the police in its present
ing to a report credited to a senior special
form could hardly be relied upon to bring
assistant to the President on media, has
about the desired change given its tradi-
dramatically increased the strength of the
tional hierarchical and authoritarian struc-
force from 110,000 in 1999 to 312,000 in
ture. These make it too restrictive and
2004 (Ikhurionan, 2004). The highlights
bureaucratic to elicit motivation and high-
also include an increase in the number of
level performance from its junior ranks.
deputy inspectors general from one to
Given its paramilitary nature, the relation-
seven, the promotion of about 200,000
ship between officers of the Nigeria police
officers and men, and an increment in ‘the
and other ranks is one of extreme deference
Hero’s grant’ (an ex gratia payment of a sum
of money to the family of any policeman
on the part of subordinates. It could hardly
who dies on active service). On manpower
impact on subordinates’ level of motivation.
development, a total of 70,437 recruits
Furthermore, these superior officers more
completed their training between July 2000
often than not are characterised by high-
and September 2002, while another batch
handedness, corrupt practices, unprofes-
of 31,529 recruits and 832 cadet assistant
sional conduct and abuse of office
superintendents of police were in training as
(Nwachukwu, 2002) and could not be said
at August 2004. This is in addition to the
to command the loyalty and respect of their
purchase of 3,000 vehicles, prompt pay-
subordinates. This explains the call in some
ment, and an upward review of salaries of
quarters for the overhauling of the leader-
207 per cent. Government has also
ship structure of the Nigeria police (Shariff,
approved almost 1 billion Naira for the
2004) and the need for a new leadership
construction and development of police
structure that would provide discipline and
barracks across the country, as well as a five-
motivate subordinates. One contemporary
year plan aimed at helping the force to
leadership style that is worth considering is
perform its duties more effectively.
transformational leadership, in view of its
Laudable as these policy initiatives are,
wide use across different cultures and
crime, particularly politically motivated
organisations (Avolio, 1999; Bass, 1998).
Page 111
Fairness, transformational leadership and motivation in the Nigeria police
Again, given the pervasive disenchant-
motivation will be unleashed through pro-
ment within the rank and file of the
viding a reason or incentive for people to
Nigeria police that resulted in a failed
produce.’ The question that arises from
nationwide strike (Stoller, 2002), the issue
these definitions is, how can motivated
of perceived fairness could be an inhibiting
behaviour be aroused and sustained within a
factor in the motivation of the rank and file
given system? Organisational practices are
of the force. For example, apart from stag-
usually taken as one of the strongest deter-
nating in a particular rank for 10 to 15 years
mining factors of work motivation (Kello-
(Ilevbare, 2003), favouritism, ethnicity, and
way & Barling, 2000). These include the
‘godfatherism’ have become prominent cri-
rules, human resources policies, leadership
teria for promotions and postings within
styles and reward systems of an organisation.
the rank and file of the police. Ilevbare also
The last two are particularly germane in this
reported a police public relations officer as
context.
saying that it is not uncommon to hear that
Effective leadership is all about influenc-
two individuals with the same qualifications
ing employees’ behaviour in a desired direc-
joined the force on the same day but,
tion (Cohen & Eimicke, 1995). Leaders
within a given period, one is already two or
influence the attitude and behaviour of fol-
three steps ahead of the other, not as result
lowers in significant ways, while followers’
of relative hard work and achievement but
perception of their leaders affects personal
because of the redistributive policy known
and organisational outcomes. The import-
as the quota system or as ethnic balancing.
ance of leadership was demonstrated in a
From the foregoing, it follows that one
study by Hogan, Raskin, and Fazzini (1990)
way to facilitate change is to address the
who found that organisational climate stud-
issue of motivation built around leadership
ies from the mid-1950s onward revealed
and perceived contextual workplace fair-
that 60 to 75 per cent of organisational
ness. Consequently, the interaction of
respondents reported that their immediate
perceived workplace fairness and transfor-
supervisors were the worst or the most
mational leadership behaviour on the work
stressful aspect of their jobs. Understanding
motivation of the rank and file of the
employees’ motivation through leadership
Nigeria police became the subject of
process is therefore necessary if a leader...
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