Sunday Adewusi

GBENRO ADESINA/IBADAN
As the former Inspector General of Police, IGP Sunday Adewusi begins his journey to eternity, eminent Nigerians have started showing encomiums on him describing him as a lost asset to Nigeria.

This happened today at a day of tribute to honor the deceased held at the 1,500 seater lecture theatre of the College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho.

Former Oyo State Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala who acknowledged that he benefited a lot from the deceased disclosed that the IGP was his boss, mentor and father figure.

Akala who was also a former personal assistant/ADC to the late IGP recounted that he first came in contact with him in 1976 when he (Akala) was transferred from Jos to Force CID (FORCID) Alagbon, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos at a time he was about moving to “B” Department, Force Headquarters on posting as an Assistant Inspector-General.

According to him, without the late IGP knowing that they were both indigenes of Ogbomosho, he took him as a brother and son adding, “He was an inspiration to all officers who served under him. The principle of leadership, courage and dedication to duty which I learnt from him provided the sure ladder that made me accomplish effectively, all duties assigned to me. This made him appoint me as his Personal Assistant and ADC when he eventually became the Inspector-General of Police in 1981”.

Akala described his former boss as a “rare gem, a quintessential police officer, bold and fearless with an exceptional can-do-it-spirit; there is no challenge or difficulty that he could not overcome.

He also stated that IGP Adewusi was “an incurable optimist who stopped at nothing, in making sure that seemingly impossible tasks are carried out, by supervising every bit of details that is required for every police operation, pointing out that the late IGP Adewusi personally led the operation that saw to the end of Maitasine in Kano in December, 1980.

Alao-Akala also said the late IGP Adewusi on his way to the peak of his career, exposed many crimes that earned him the nickname “Super Cop”.

Earlier in his welcome address, Justice Afolabi Adeniran (rtd), Sole Administrator, Ogbomoso Parapo Agbaye gave kudos to the current IGP Solomon Aranse and the entire police family for the beautiful tribute and honor given the late Asiwaju of Ogbomosoland.

While describing the deceased as a kind-hearted, humble and dedicated man to his duties, Justice Adeniran took solace that the late Ogbomoso born IGP has lived a fulfilled life in all spheres

Dr. Saka Balogun, chairman Ogbomoso Community Foundation (OCF), said he heard a lot about the reputation of late Adewusi as a no-nonsense thorough-bred top police officer long before they met.

He recounted that when they became closer after reaching the top of the career in 1981, late Adewusi initially had genuine fears and misgivings about certain developments in Ogbomoso which tended to scare him off whereas the neighbouring Ilorin community gave him all the respect and encouragement to settle there.

“Adewusi was an abundant blessing, a special and rare gift of God to Ogbomoso and the nation at large. The people had allowed propaganda to keep him away from the community before 1981. The person who painted Adewusi black in Ogbomoso then was the same man he saved from imprisonment while he was in Jos”, Balogun said.

AIG Zone 11, Helen Kalafite, who represented IGP Solomon Aranse disclosed that though she never met the late police boss in service, but she owes him a lot of thanks for being the person who gave her the police form she completed while still a corps member.

Kalafite said that police would never forget late Adewusi for transforming the police force and encouraging professionalism.

Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, described the news of the death of the late Adewusi as a “terrible blow” noting that Adewusi chose police as a career and made a tremendous success of it.

The monarch who said that late Adewusi distinguished himself academically and professionally in overseas trainings added that “no wonder he had rapid promotions on merit through the ranks and got to the peak of his career as IGP during Shagari era in 1981. He was the youngest to be appointed to the highest office of the IGP. His tenure as the IGP was remarkable as he introduced commendable innovations that enhanced performance by the Nigeria Police Force”.

Former Majority leader in the state House of Assembly, Mulikat Akande-Adeola, described the late IGP as a patriotic and courageous officer who rose to the rank of the IGP through hard work and sheer diligence, stressing that his demise would create a vacuum not only for his family but also to the NPF where his wisdom would be mostly needed at this time in the country. LAUTECH VC, Adeniyi Sulaiman Gbadegesin who enjoined the police and the family members of the deceased to sustain the legacies the deceased left behind lauded him for the roles he played in actualising the vision of the university and everything that concerns development of youths in Ogbomoso and the nation as a whole.