Ms Lydia Sijabulisiwe Dlamini is the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police,the Kingdom of Swaziland.
The delectable brilliant Police chief will be receiving HONORARY DOCTORATE DEGREE IN COUNSELLING /MISSIONS from ADONAI CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY ,OWERRI,IMO STATE in December, 2018.
ADONAI is an affiliate of TEXAS INSTITUTE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES,TEXAS. USA.
In an enclusive chat with Sahara Weekly, she opened up on life and career. Excerpts :
How do you feel being shortlisted for the award in Nigeria?
I feel very happy and excited by the election to receive an honorary doctorate degree. I must admit, that it really came as a surprise.
What would you say stands you out to deserve the award by the organizers?
I would not be sure but only those who elected/nominated me would have an answer to that as I believe they have a criteria and certain qualities they look for. However, I suspect my election might have to do with my contribution and support for the work of the Lord and for religious missions. I am basically a servant of the Lord both in my career and in the body of Christ.
What motivates you or inspires you in life and in your chosen profession?
The greatest motivation and inspiration in my chosen career and in my life in general is to fulfill the purpose for which God sent me into the world. I discovered the purpose for my life early in my walk with Christ. Therefore, purpose serves as a strong motivation or inspiration to run the race set out for me diligently and faithfully to the end so I could boldly state as Apostle Paul did in II Timothy 4:7; “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”. In a nutshell, my greatest inspiration is to fulfill the will of the Father for the glory of His Name.
What has been the secret of your success?
The secret of my success lies in trusting in the Lord and putting Him first in all I do. God takes center stage in my life and I trust Him with all my heart according to His Word in Proverbs 3:5-6. The Lord is my life.
You have become a force to be reckoned with, in a profession many believed is for men, how have you been able to overcome the hurdle?
I cannot beat my own drum but in my profession it is not always about how much physical strength one has. It is about hardwork, commitment, self-drive and a willingness to learn from others. I am the kind of person who does not want to be defeated by situations or people’s perceptions and whenever I encounter any challenge, I turn to the Lord who gives me power, wisdom and strength to overcome.
What informed your decision to join the Police?
To be honest, it is the Lord who guided and ordered my steps into the Police organization. For me it was not a conscious decision but a doing of the Lord. I guess I was attracted by the discipline, unique culture of the Police Service and a desire to serve the Nation in the capacity of a Police officer.
To every glory is a story to tell, what has been your greatest challenge and how have you been able to overcome it?
In life you inevitably will be faced with difficulties that can seriously challenge your confidence and faith. As a human being I have experienced my own fair share of challenges ranging from being despised by some of my workmates to isolation/alienation and rejection in my family as well as having to strike a balance between work and family demands as a wife and mother.
However, I thank the Almighty God for every challenge/hurdle that I have experienced for they have served as a catalyst to bring me closer to my Maker, i.e. to entirely trust and depend on Him in every situation. Through the challenges I have learnt to forgive, to cast my burdens unto the Lord and to appreciate every difficult situation that comes my way for the Scripture in James 1:2 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. In every trial or challenge God has always been faithful and given me victory.
Would it be right that this recognition of your exemplary life in your profession through this award will motivate you to work harder?
That is quite correct. The award will definitely motivate me to work even harder. I believe it will also serve as a motivating factor to other colleagues, particularly women Police to work harder in their respective fields of operation.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Response
I am married with four (4) children, a daughter and three (3) sons. I am currently one of four (4) Senior Deputy National Commissioners in the Royal Eswatini Police Service (acronym REPS) and am responsible for resource management and support services. I have held various leadership positions within the organization ranging from being in-charge Legal Affairs, Support Services and Management and Administration. I have also served in various committees within Government but outside the REPS.
On the international arena, I have served as a founding member and Chairperson of the Legal Sub-Committee of the Southern African Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (acronym SARPCCO), a structure of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and as a founding member of the Women Network Sub-Committee of SARPCCO, which is responsible for inter alia; advocating for women empowerment and career advancement of women through leadership training programmes, providing a strong support network structure for women Police within the SARPCCO countries and to champion service delivery and social crime prevention programmes by women especially related to crimes against vulnerable groups within society.
Academically, I hold an LLB Degree obtained from the then University of Botswana and Swaziland and a Master’s Degree in Public Sector Management obtained from Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe. I am also the holder of other certificates attained from various leadership courses including the Advanced Management Course at ILEA, Roswell, New Mexico, USA and the Next Generation of Africa Security Sector Leaders’ Course, Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Washington DC USA.