AIG Okunade Ronke Nurat, an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, has won the 2026 “North America Legendary Africa Supercop of the Year Award”.
The organisers describe her as highly respected in the global law enforcement community, especially in the “Lone Star” State of Texas in the United States of America.
The police chief, who is the 24th Assistant Inspector-General of Police and currently heads the Maritime Police Command, Nigeria Police Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, won the award after a competition involving other senior law enforcement officers drawn from different African countries.
At the end of the votes’ collation, based on data analytics and analysis conducted by the NSN Award Committee Executive, AIG Okunade emerged as the winner with the highest number of votes, making her the Supercop of the Year.
The award was conferred on her in recognition of her accomplishments and contributions to policing, marine technology, modern law enforcement training and proactive security operations on Nigerian waterways.
The contest brought together senior police officers from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, South Africa, Rwanda and Angola.
Among the contestants were Kenya’s Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Eliud Kipkoech Lagat; Uganda’s James Ochaya; Ghana’s Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Commissioner of Police Christian Tetteh Yohunu; Zambia’s Deputy Inspector-General of Police for Operations, Charity Munganga; Sierra Leone’s AIG Andrew Mustapha Kamara; Liberia’s Deputy Inspector-General of Police for Operations, Atty. J. Nelson Freeman; South Africa’s Deputy National Commissioner for Policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili; Rwanda’s DIGP in charge of Operations, CP Vincent Sano; and Angola’s second Commander-General of the National Police, Comissário-Chefe Orlando Paulo Jorge Bernardo.
At the end of the votes’ tabulation from Africans at home and Africans in the Diaspora, AIG Okunade Ronke Nurat emerged the winner with a vote score of 95,255,690.
Angola’s Comissário-Chefe Orlando Paulo Jorge Bernardo came second, while South Africa’s Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili emerged third.
The selection process involved media surveys and vox-pop exercises conducted among Africans in the Diaspora, with representatives of Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA travelling from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, to major airports across Africa on three different occasions to gather the views and votes of participants.
For AIG Okunade, the American recognition comes as another chapter in a policing career that began in 1992, when she was commissioned as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police.
Born in Ogbomosho North Local Government Area of Oyo State, she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Ibadan before embarking on a career that has seen her serve in several critical formations of the Nigeria Police Force.
She has served in the Force Provost Office, divisional and area commands under the Railway Command and Airport Command, as well as specialised investigative formations.
Her career also took her to the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, and the Police Special Fraud Unit, Milverton, Lagos, where she became the 31st Commissioner of Police of the unit.
In another career milestone, AIG Okunade became the first female Commandant of the Police College, Kaduna, and subsequently the first AIG to head the institution.
The achievement further demonstrates her leadership qualities, innovative approach to policing and vast operational experience within the Nigeria Police Force.
She is also a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), where her professional career has been associated with integrity, discipline and commitment to the core values of the Nigeria Police Force.
By the American honour, AIG Okunade has also automatically been inducted into the Texas Golden Hall of Fame Media VIP, Class of 2025, for her policing, marine reform and technology on the Nigerian waterways.
Her contributions in these areas have raised the standard of policing, proactive law enforcement and security leadership on the African continent.
For many Nigerians and Africans in the Diaspora, however, the recognition should not remain in the United States.
As a result of the award won by AIG Okunade and the additional Hall of Fame honour, the Texas headquarters of Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA was inundated with demands from Nigerians and Africans in the Diaspora to have this golden plaque presented in Africa, since “Charity Begins at Home,” the global award should be presented to the police officer on Nigerian soil.
In response to the demand, the Board of Directors of Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA decided to travel from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Texas, to Nigeria for the physical presentation of the honour.
The award presentation took place on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 12 noon at the Maritime Police Command, Nigeria Police Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos State.
AIG Okunade, in expressing her gratitude following the recognition, thanked God Almighty for the honour and achievement, while also appreciating her husband, members of her police team and Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA for their support and recognition.
She acknowledged the role of those who had stood by her throughout her policing career and described the award as an honour that she received with deep appreciation.
This recognition of AIG Okunade represents another international honour for Nigeria’s policing community and further places the country’s maritime security efforts, technology-driven policing and proactive law enforcement on the global stage.
The high point of the ceremony was the award presentation in the presence of other police officers working directly with her.
With this latest honour, AIG Okunade Ronke Nurat has joined the list of Nigerian police officers whose professional accomplishments have earned recognition beyond the shores of Africa, demonstrating that excellence, dedication and leadership in law enforcement can earn global recognition.
