By Oluwatoyin Malik
Commissioner of Police in Oyo State Command, Ngozi Onadeko, has said that the police job is not only about fighting crime but to show compassion to people and contribute their quota to the development of society.
Onadeko stated this, on Thursday, during visits and offering of gifts of food items and toiletries to Oluyole Cheshire Home on Sango-Eleyele Road, and Omolewa Motherless Babies’ Homes at Oritamefa, both in Ibadan, the capital city.
The police commissioner, who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Abubakar Lawal, stated that apart from the gesture being part of corporate social responsibility (CSR) of the police, the purpose of the visit was to reach out to enhance community policing.
Onadeko said: “We are showing the populace that we are not only fighting crime, we also want to partner with the society, so that they will know we are contributing our quota to the development of the society.”
She enjoined residents of the state to remain peaceful, and reach out to the police if there is any complaint, for them to take decisive actions.
In his response, the Chairman of the Board of Management of Cheshire Home, Professor Oladele Layiwola, commended the police commissioner’s gesture, saying that it was the first time the Home would be given items by the police.
He made a reference to Lord Leonard Cheshire, who founded the Home in 1959, to take care of those with disabilities.
Prof Layiwola said that the old home was moved from Oke-Ado to its present site in 1968 when the expanse of land was given by the late Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Akinyele.
At Omolewa Motherless Babies’ Home, the Assistant Matron, Mrs Aderinola Oke, also expressed appreciation to Onadeko, stating, as earlier said by Olayiwola, that it was the first time the motherless babies’ home would be visited by police officers and presented with gifts.
Mrs Oke said that the Home was a non-governmental organization that is owned by you and me and it is whatever you donate that we use to care for the babies, pay staff salaries and maintain the home.
She also offered prayers to the police commissioner and entire police workforce for exhibiting humanity.