After 35 years of service in the Nigeria Police Force, the Divisional Police Officer of Oke-Ila Police Station, Ado-Ekiti, CSP Sesan Falade, has retired from active service, leaving behind a newly reconstructed divisional police headquarters.
The reconstructed Oke-Ila Divisional Police Headquarters was commissioned on Wednesday by the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, CP Michael Falade, who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Taminu Nyatse.
The ceremony, which combined Falade’s retirement with the commissioning of the renovated police facility, was attended by community leaders, traditional rulers, clerics, family members, police officers and other well-wishers.
Speaking at the event, Falade expressed gratitude to God for preserving his life throughout his 35 years in the police service, saying his career had been marked by challenges, sacrifice and memorable experiences.
Falade, who joined the Nigeria Police Force on October 1, 1991, said he received his initial training at the Nigeria Police College in Ikeja before beginning his career in the force.
He said policing required sacrifice, resilience, discipline and commitment, adding that his years in service had taught him the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with members of the community.
Falade also thanked individuals and organisations that contributed to the reconstruction of the Oke-Ila Divisional Police Headquarters, particularly elder statesman and Chairman of the occasion, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, for his contribution towards the project.
He said the completion of the project had made the occasion particularly memorable for him, expressing appreciation to everyone who supported the initiative financially and materially.
Falade urged officers he was leaving behind to maintain discipline and uphold the legacy of professionalism, saying he was leaving the force with a sense of fulfilment.
“My charge to police officers that are still in service is to always be tolerant and have a good relationship with the people in their communities.
“There is nothing one can do if you don’t have a very good relationship with the people of your community. The community people have been the ones helping us,” he said.
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, represented by DCP Nyatse, commended Falade for his contribution to the development of the station and for ensuring that officers had a more conducive environment for effective policing.
The Commissioner also appreciated individuals, community leaders, the Police Community Relations Committee and project sponsors who contributed financially and materially to the reconstruction.
He charged officers at the Oke-Ila Division to maintain the facility and ensure that it continued to support effective policing in the area.
The Commissioner congratulated Falade on his retirement and wished him good health, peace and fulfilment in his post-service life.
Also speaking, the Ekiti State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Revd. Emmanuel Aribasoye, described Falade as a police officer with a strong connection to the grassroots.
Aribasoye said Falade had demonstrated that the police could maintain cordial relationships with members of the communities they served.
“He is a community person and a policeman with a special interest in the people. He connects with the grassroots and is not the type that looks down on anybody,” he said.
The cleric said the large turnout of people at the retirement ceremony reflected the relationships Falade had built during his years of service.
Falade’s wife, Mrs. Mojibola Falade, described her husband as a dedicated officer who devoted much of his life to policing, saying his frequent postings and travels meant that she had often raised their four children largely on her own.
She expressed gratitude to God for preserving her husband throughout his career and prayed that his retirement would bring him good health, peace of mind and more time with his family.
She said: “I met Sesan Falade in 2008. He is a gentle man, but he is very tough. He loves his job so much. I have always prayed that God would keep him and help him to know God more and serve Him more.”
A nephew of the retiring CSP, Tayo Falade, also thanked God for protecting his uncle throughout his 35 years in the police force.
He described him as a diligent policeman and urged him to use his retirement to devote more time to his family and strengthen his relationship with God.
The retirement and commissioning ceremony was followed by a reception at Damlek Event Centre, Ado-Ekiti, where family members, friends, colleagues, community leaders and well-wishers celebrated Falade’s retirement from active police service.
