Solomon Arase: Can I Ever Say Goodbye toYou?
Solomon Arase: Can I Ever Say Goodbye toYou?
By Edward Awolowo Ajogun
I have been drowning in emotional turmoil since the news broke on Sunday, 31st August 2025, of the passing of IGP Dr. Solomon Ehigiator Arase, CFR, NPM, FCC, FCIA, PhD (Rtd), the 18th indigenous Inspector-General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria-whom some of us, his younger colleagues and subordinates, fondly called “Oga Arase.”
He was indeed our boss, mentor, leader, and superior- as the Yoruba word Oga, in all its depth, connotes. Always a dependable pillar of support, I had only three days earlier spoken to him on the phone, seeking a favour on behalf of a kinswoman in academia. He promised to help upon his return the following Monday, after the marriage ceremony he was attending in Morocco. His voice was strong, clear, and resonant – full of vitality. The news of his death was therefore rude, shocking, and destabilizing. Not my Oga Arase – not at just 69 years of age, with all his brilliance and good- naturedness. Truly, a good man has gone.
My mind became a cacophony of questions: Why now? Could this be real? Is Arase actually gone? Has a star fallen from Nigeria’s security firmament? Has the iroko tree that Arase was truly fallen, its echo resounding in our confusion?
On Monday, 1st September 2025, I left Lagos for Abuja, distraught and heavy-hearted. I prayed silently that the news of his passing was fake. But upon arrival at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and then at his Maitama residence, the unusual traffic and sombre gathering confirmed my worst fears. Inside, dignitaries and close associates – DIGs, AIGs, CPs, aides, and sympathizers-were visibly broken. When I asked SP Ukom, his Personal Assistant, he sighed deeply and said in a heavy voice: “Na so we see am; Oga don leave us o.”
At that moment, the tears that had been hanging in my eyes finally broke free. Inside the house, his wife, dressed in black, was surrounded by grieving women. Past Governors, Ministers, retired and serving police officers, security officials, lawyers, judges, journalists, and even students of the Institute of Strategic Studies and the Defence College all came to pay respects – scribbling tributes in the condolence register and describing the beauty of the human being that Oga Arase was. I, too, approached the table where his framed photograph and condolence register lay. Trembling, I could barely write.
How could I possibly say goodbye to Oga Arase? His warm voice and image of him receiving me into his home filled my mind, and I desperately wished I could call him back from death’s grip. But the truth was undeniable: Arase was gone.
I first met Oga Arase in 1991 in Benin. I had graduated from the Nigeria Police Academy in 1989 as cadet officer, and was posted back to Bendel State to start my career. He was a charismatic Deputy Superintendent of Police and remained so till his unfortunate demise. I met him through a kinsman of mine, and his calm, welcoming, and gregarious nature left a mark.
By 2002, when I became Personal Assistant to the late Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun, my relationship with him grew closer. He was then Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to the IGP, succeeding another intellectual giant, retired CP Yinka Balogun. The Abuja Secretariat under Oga Arase was the hub of strategic operations for IGP Balogun, while Lagos hosted the ebullient DIG Taiwo Lakanu. Together with CP Ernest Ibaze, CP Lawrence Alobi, DIG Marvel Akpoyibo (“Akpoos”), and DIG Lakanu, Oga Arase formed the intellectual think-tank of “Balinga” Balogun’s administration.
Oga Arase stood out. As PSO, he was head of the intellectual engine room of the IGP Secretariat, where other cerebral officers like CP Aderemi Adeoye also shone. IGP Balogun made it clear to me that I was not going to be a ceremonial PA, but an intellectual support. Among the initiatives I made modest contributions were:
- Formation of the Women’s Arm of the PMF
- Establishment of the PMF Training School, Ila Orangun
- Establishment of the Police Computer School, Abeokuta
- Expansion of PMF Squadrons and units
- Compilation of improved service terms and conditions for police officers
- Re-compilation of the senior officer staff list to restore
order and proper seniority.
In all these, Oga Arase was indispensable-our Editor-in- Chief. His deft final touches on drafts gave them life and clarity, often the last step before IGP Balogun’s signature. Indeed, Oga Arase was like a modern-day “Al” — a vast reservoir of knowledge that inspired, challenged, and refined us.
Now, arrangements for his burial are fixed for 3rd October 2025. Death – merciless, monopolistic death – has taken him, as it often does with the best among us. Yet even in grief, it is important to remember that Oga Arase lived a remarkable life of service, leadership, and mentorship.
As PSO, he guided, corrected, and nurtured with wisdom, earning the nickname “Editor-in-Chief” for his meticulous feedback. As IGP, he drove innovation and reform-establishing the Intelligence Response Team, the Complaint Response Unit, and community policing initiatives that built bridges between the Force and the people. He strengthened the Police Cooperative Society and remains the only PSO to have served under three IGPs.
Beyond policing, he gave back through education and philanthropy, awarding scholarships to children of deceased officers and indigent students through the Solomon Ehigiator Arase Foundation. His academic pursuits, leadership as Chairman of the Police Service Commission, and his recognition as a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy further attest to a life of depth and purpose.
He was respected for his knowledge, admired for his kindness, and loved for his vibrant spirit. It is difficult to say adieu to you, my Oga Arase. But as painful as it is, I submit to God’s will. In sorrow and tears, I summon the courage to say goodbye, Sir. Your memory will continually guide me until we meet to part no more.
The sun has set to go early.
Good night, Sir.
*Edward Awolowo Ajogun, Esq, PSC, is a retired Commissioner of Police.
By Edward Awolowo Ajogun I have been drowning in emotional turmoil since the news broke on Sunday, 31st August 2025, of the passing of IGP Dr. Solomon Ehigiator Arase, CFR,
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