Aroniyo: The unsung police hero

Mr. James Olorundare Aroniyo hailed from Ogidi, Ijumu, but grew up in Ogale, Idi-Oro, in Kogi State of Nigeria where he was brought up by late Pa Solomon Oloruntoba Ikubaje. He was a de-tribalized man, married to an Ibo woman, Mrs. Nkiruka Victoria Aroniyo. Mr. Aroniyo graduated from the University of Lagos in early 1980s where he studied Political Science. He enlisted into the Nigeria Police as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and rose through to the highest Nigerian Police rank- Commissioner of Police.

Mr. Aroniyo belongs to the modern Police breeds. While his bosom friend to death and his Nigerian Police College classmate Mr.  David O. Omojola is currently the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Department of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Mr. Aroniyo was never appointed into the club of “the Nigerian Inspector-Generals” due to Nigeria’s political and quota system factors. A hand-few of his Police course mates and juniors are currently Deputy and Assistant Inspector Generals of police (AIGs) and he related very well with them until his death. He died few days after his sixtieth (60) birth day.

As a young secondary School graduate, I lived with him and became very close to Mr. Aroniyo from 1987 when he was Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). As a young Police Officer, he worked together with the incumbent Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba at Kanselem House in Lagos State. Some of his contemporaries, including DIG David O. Omojola, AIGs Mark Adamu Idakwo and Adisa Baba Bolanta were all Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs): although Idakwo was his senior at Okene Secondary School and in Nigeria Police College Jos. As at then in 1997, Mr. Aroniyo lived at Block I Flat 1 Satellite Town Police Barrack, adjacent Close 28, Satellite Town in Lagos. Omojola and Idakwo lived in the same Barrack then. As a DSP, Mr. Aroniyo has no car but most of his junior Police Officers in the same Barrack were living big and using big and fanciful cars, some even build mansions at Ijegun-Egba, the village directly behind Satellite Town and in other places in Lagos. He was simple, humble and easy going. He assisted in accommodating and training relatives, in-laws and friends children-numbering up to twenty who has passed through his home and they all turned out well.

In demonstration of his integrity, Mr. Aroniyo once told his son, Gbenga in my presence that even though you are going to be killed, say the truth. He once told me that his personality and the way he was brought up made him an odd person in the career he found himself. He was indeed a unique Police Officer with integrity and discipline credentials. As Deputy Commissioner of Police (ACP), he was retired prematurely due to offence he never committed. He once narrated his ordeal and indicated that assuming he was guilty of the offence he was retired for he would not have any regret financially. Unfortunately, it became very difficult for poor Aroniyo to even feed his family when he was retired and moving from one point to another in taxi cabs in Abuja trying to defend himself. Although, by some standard some will conclude that he was not a radical but a gentle Christian. He will go to Christian night vigil to pray for God to vindicate him and talk about Christianity in general. Miraculously, Mr. Aroniyo was reinstated back to the Nigeria Police as Deputy Commissioner of Police when there was no established indictment(s) against him by the Nigeria Police Service Commission. Unfortunately, much damaged had been done to his health resulting from the period of his premature retirement.

As a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aroniyo has no house of his own, yet he has occupied what some Nigerian Police Officers will regard to as strategic positions; he was the second in command of the popular CID, Panti, in Lagos State, at some points DPO in Ibadan, Oyo state and in Lagos states respectively. He was also Area Commander in Sokoto State and the Commandant of the Police Detective College Enugu State but spent most of his career life as Crime Intelligence expert at Alagbon in Lagos State. Until his death he was the Commissioner of Police in charge of General Investigation at the Police CID, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Colleagues that worked with him knew him as a hardworking and incorruptible officer, a symbol of integrity. He died on his way to work while serving his country, the Republic of Nigeria. On his hospital bed, Mr. Aroniyo unconsciously kept talking about Police work and making reference to work related issues. The incorruptible but unsung Nigerian Police Commissioner has gone home but his integrity and career landmarks remains. He is survived by wife, children, grand children, brothers/sister and aged mother.

At this juncture, it is important to indicate that Mr. Suleiman Abba, his direct boss, Solomon E. Arase and Omojola and Idakwo were indeed true friends and colleagues of Aroniyo and others senior and junior officers too numerous to mention here . It was indeed gratifying to note you all stood by him when he was critically ill. May the Lord God be there for you all in time of needs.

Broda Dare, as we usually called you, this medium is one of the rare opportunities and I wholeheartedly embrace and seize it to celebrate you and what you stood and fought for.

Rest in the bosom of the Most High God, Sun re oo, omo Aroniyo.