By Teniola Blessing.
Some retired senior police officers and family members have described the late Inspection-General of police (I-GP), Mr Tafa Balogun as one of the best cop Nigeria ever produced.
The retired officers, who paid glowing tributes to the late Balogun, in separate interviews with the pinpointnews at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos, said he was one of the I-GPs that brought great reformation to the force.
Mr Tunde Alapini, a retired Assistance Inspector-General of police (AIG) and one time Force Spokesman, said the impact made by Balogun cannot be ignored in the Force.
Alapini said that Balogun was devoted to the transformation of the Force and its personnel.
In his own tribute, retired DIG Waheed Kassim, described the late Balogun as a dear brother and friend, stressing that his death was shocking to him.
For DIG David Omojola, it was too early for the man he described as his “Big Boss” to leave this earth suddenly.
“However, we are consoled that you impacted positively on our live. Your tenure as I-G witnessed tremendous and good policing,”he said.
Mr Edward Ajogun, a retired Commissioner of Police (CP) and one time Personal Assistance to Balogun as I-GP, said that his former boss was always thinking positively about the Nigeria Police Force and security of Nigeria.
Ajogun said that Balogun brought lots of reforms into the Force, including creation of female mobile police, computer training for officers, mass promotion for officers stranded for years, ensuring that officers were promoted according to their seniority.
He said that under Balogun, the Force had credible staff list which was used for promotion, stressing that the late I-GP was a unifier, encouraging officers to work as a team.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos state, CP Abiodun Alabi, described the late Balogun as a visionary leader per excellence and a mentor to many retiring and serving officers.
Alabi said that anytime he visited the late I-GP, he would always draw his attention to how best Lagos should be policed.
“The Force will miss his wealth of experience. It is his mentorship that has piloted some of us to where we are today in the Force,”Alabi said.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State CID, Mr Fayoade Adegoke, described the late I-GP as, “a great dad, benefactor, mentor, super cop, who revolutionised the Force as an I-GP”.
The first son of the deceased, Mr Abayomi Balogun, said that his father never changed one bit before his death as an advocate of doing anything that was right.
He said many people misunderstood his father as a strict person, stressing that members of the family were not exempted from such strictness.
He described his late father as a brilliant officer, who always attracted standing ovations at any occasion, local or international whereever he was made to delivered speeches or lectures.
The second daughter of late Balogun, Ms Bolanle Balogun, said that her late father will be greatly missed for many things, including teaching her how to cook, words pronounciation, reading and how to act responsibly.
“My father made me what I am today. He thought me that there is no alternative route to success than to follow due process in all things.
“Though, he made me tough like himself. If he wants to punish you for doing wrong, it is 24 strokes of the cane, because of this, no one dare get into daddy’s trouble,” she said.
The pinpointnews gathered that the former Police boss died at Reddington Hospital in Lagos on Thursday at the age of 75.
Tafa Balogun, who will be buried on Saturday in Osun state, was the 21st Inspector-General of Police, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He joined the Nigerian Police Force in May 1973 as member of Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Course 3.
Balogun attended the University of Lagos and graduated in 1972 with a B.A. in Political Science.
He worked in various Police commands throughout the federation, and earning his promotions as and when due.
Balogun was at a time, the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to former Inspector-General of Police, Muhammadu Gambo, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Edo State, the pioneer Commissioner of Police in Delta State.
He was also CP in Rivers and Abia states. Balogun, a fellow of the premier highest military institution in Nigeria, the National War College, later became the Assistant Inspector General of Police A.I.G Zone One, Kano, from where he was named the 21st I-GP of Police on March 6, 2002.