By Paul Nwosu
Not many people who set out to pursue a career can ever reach the peak or are alive to tell their success stories – not to talk of one which involves daring the devil amid gunfires and explosives on regular basis.
The outgoing Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, Mr Aderemi Adeoye’s story is not just that he served the nation under the Nigerian Police Force to finally retire on May 1, 2024, without scars, but that he came to Anambra, saw, fought and conquered the enemies of the state to the admiration of all.
Little wonder thousands of Ndị Anambra and others within and outside the state thronged Dr Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, on Saturday, April 27, 2024, to appreciate him for his sterling service to the people.
To cap it all, the government of Anambra State not only named a street after him but approved the conferment of chieftaincy titles on him by two communities, one of which he received on Sunday, April 28, a day after his pullout parade, from the traditional ruler of Ogbunka, Igwe J.M. Anyaoha.
While he was conferred with the title, Dike Ochioha 1 of Ogbunka Kingdom, his wife, Mrs Bolanle Adeoye was conferred with the title of Adadioramma 1 of Ogbunka Kingdom.
It is worthy of note that Adeoye came in as Anambra State Commissioner of Police at the peak of insecurity in the state.
According to the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who represented Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, at the PullOut Parade, Adeoye came at a time when the state was held siege by “the so-called unknown gunmen and people who were in all sorts of places in the bush fighting law abiding citizens. And as Mr Governor would always say, “the small percentage of people, less than two percent of the people cannot determine who we are.
“And Mr Governor, as the chief security officer, took it to them, sustained the war and this is where the story of Aderemi Adeoye came in.
“He came in with his own style, his own dedication to duty, simplicity of purpose, doggedness and his own never say die attitude to help Mr Governor in this fight. And in such a short time, Anambra State became so calm and once more people started going about their normal businesses.”
It’s worth recalling that Ogbunka community, which conferred on him the chieftaincy title on Sunday, is one of the communities where CP Adeoye and his team restored peace, law and order in January this year, when reactions and counter reactions resulting from an election held in the community nearly brought about crisis.
It is equally important to note that in Ogbunka community alone, the Police Command, under CP Adeoye’s watch, rescued three kidnap victims including a Catholic Priest; arrested three suspects; recovered three pump action guns and nine vehicles snatched at gunpoint on October 6, 2023.
No wonder, Adeoye, in his speech during the Pullout Parade said, ” it is to the glory of God that all those encounters with face to face exchange of gunfire and explosion of bombs have not left any scar on me”.
He appreciated his men and sister agencies for their contributions to the achievements recorded during his tenure, pointing out that they didn’t achieve anything through individual efforts.
Being one who understands that nothing lasts forever, CP Adeoye prepared for his retirement through various trainings including financial education in both Nigeria and abroad, which led to the founding of Alpha Trust Investment Club (ATIC), through which he said he would go into full time business from May 1, 2024.
Even though Ndị Anambra are happy and are celebrating the retiring gallant police officer whose understanding of the state’s terrains brought back peace and hope for the people for finishing strong, their true feelings were captured by Deputy Governor Ibezim at the Pullout Parade thus:
” If it were in our hands, we would say, let the good man continue in this fight but we are happy. We have only one solace – Aderemi Adeoye is retiring but not tired. No wonder in Anambra State, for your sincere contribution towards the security of Ndị Anambra, a street has been named after you by the stakeholders. So many awards to be mentioned here have been given to you. And I want to tell you on behalf of the government that you are not a visitor to Anambra State. You are now a citizen of Anambra State. When you came in here, something warmed our hearts. If we didn’t see men in uniform, we would say we’re here for a campaign rally because the ovation that was given to you was quite heartwarming. And that goes a long way to tell the whole story of yourself.
” On behalf of Mr Governor and the good people of Anambra State, we can only say may God bless you for this wonderful task you have come to deliver to Ndị Anambra and we wish you so much well in your future endeavours.”