I Conceived Odo-Noforija Police Post, Before It Became A Reality – Oba Ogunlaja

Oba Babatunde Ola Ogunlaja (JP)

By Paul Mbagwu

The ancient, native town of Noforija, in Eredo Local Council Government Area (LCDA) of Epe Division in Lagos State, had for a long time dreamt of having  police presence in their neighbourhood, the main reason being to contain crime in the area.

A thriving community of patriotic and ambitious people, they had always made their contributions to the socio-economic development of the state, with sons and daughters of Epe, playing active roles in the nation’s private and public lives.

The coming of modern amenities, especially in the last three years, had seen a massive influx into Epe, raising the security challenges of the place, and for which the community had yearned for a police post.

That dream became a grand reality last Thursday October 18 when an ultra-modern police post was officially commissioned there.

The official opening of the station literally lit up the whole of Eredo LCDA, drawing people from all walks of life to witness, yet another addition to the pack of development projects the ancient town of Epe have been enjoying in the past three years.

The ceremony was graced by Govenor Ambode, represented by Commissioner of Special duties and Intergovernmental Duties, Mr Oluseye Oladejo; Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edel Imohimi, with his teaming officers; Eredo LCDA chairman, Hon Saliu Adeniyi, along with the council officials; and the Oba Babatunde Ola Ogunlaja (JP), Kalejaiye II, The Aladeshoyin of Odo-Noforija Kingdom with a host of traditional rulers across the state.

It was a day of personal fulfillment for the paramount ruler of Noforiji, Oba Babatunde Ola Ogunlaja (JP) , as he revealed that the project was long conceived by him before it became a reality being celebrated.

According to him, “Since my ascension to the Aladeshnyin of Odo-Noforija Kingdom, I have brain-stormed with some great minds and set out some projects to enhance the modernity of Odo-Noforija community.”

Relating the steps he took, he said: “You would have noticed that a new palace, though not yet fully completed, is in place. It however enhanced the status of the Kingship and Kingdom.

“Security of life and property is the second thing noted. So every year I celebrated my coronation anniversary I always involved the honorable Commissioner of police to maintain order, peace and tranquility.

“It was from this plank that the urgent need for a police post was initially conceived before it became a station now. The era of kidnapping and taking hostage forced me to apply more pressure.

“The kidnapping of the Executive secretary of Agbowa/Ikosi LCDA, Chief Ganiyu Akintola in Ejinrin and taken all the way through the water body to Delta, a very pathetic situation, heightened the need for the presence of the Nigeria Police Force in the community.

“Traditionally, the Aladeshonyin in Council put some local policing and intelligence gathering, but we do not possess the fiat to deal with criminal issues. My court decided on customary, traditional and minor disputes, which helped in maintaining sanity.”

Oba Babatunde Ola Ogunlaja (JP), leading a tour of the facility.

Among the sons of the soil that graced the occasion, was Otunba T.J Abass, Olu-omo of Epe Division, who eulogized the paramount ruler for his gesture:

He said, “I congratulate the paramount ruler, who donated the land for the police station that is no doubt an attestation of his genuine commitment to protecting lives and property of his subjects.

“So, he is not just a custodian of our traditional values, he is also a custodian of our security as well. So he needs to be commended for that gesture, because when you have a situation like security of lives and properties, you are well protected. It is no doubt a recipe to socio-economic development of the community. So we thank him for that.”

The police post referred to as one of its kind in the whole of the country is envisaged to enhance security provision in line with the principles and ideologies of community policing .

It is also expected to boost economic activities and social life in the Ijebu speaking division of Lagos.

Besides the main police post, the subsidiary project includes a housing unit containing 15 flats fully furnished with beddings and furniture to accommodate all the officers and their families to be posted to the community.