By Suleiman Shehu
Mr Ayoola Opadeji, a newly retired Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Oyo State Command, has advised officers to continue upholding the service’s ethics and core values.
Opadeji advised during his retirement and pulling-out parade ceremony, organised in his honour by the state command in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Opadeji, who joined the service in 1990 as a Prison Assistant Grade II, retired after serving meritoriously for 35 years.
According to Opadeji, rebellion and insubordination have no place in the service.
Therefore, he urged officers to be disciplined, dedicated to duty, and maintain their integrity, which, he explained, would become their legacy in future.
The retired controller further called on officials to be reliable, thus earning their superiors’ trust, their subordinates’ trust, and their colleagues’ trust.
Opadeji, who said he was the only one among his colleagues, recruited in 1990, to attain the controller’s rank, attributed his achievements not to his power or wisdom, but to God’s grace.
“My journey in the Nigerian Correctional Service has been marked by resilience, continuous learning, divine intervention and immeasurable grace.
“I will not stand here today and claim that it was easy, because it was not; the early days were particularly challenging.
“As a young officer, I faced temptations that could have derailed my career.
“I encountered obstacles that tested my resolve; I experienced moments of doubt and uncertainty, but by the grace of God, I made a conscious and deliberate decision to remain steadfast in integrity,” he said.
Opadeji appreciated the Controller General of NCoS, Sylvester Nwakuche, his management team, family members, friends and others for their mentorship and support.
The NCoS Zone F Coordinator, Assistant Controller General (ACG) Iyabode Oluyole, described Opadeji as a man of integrity who served with dignity.
She said that the service was proud of him.
A retired Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), Tunde Ladipo, described Opadeji as a dedicated, kind and disciplined man who had contributed immensely to the service and the nation in general.
NAN reports that Lagos State NCoS Controller, Stephen George; Osun NCoS Controller, Rotimi Oluwalekan, and other state controllers commended Opadeji for his hard work and leadership.
The highlight of the occasion, which witnessed the presence of representatives of heads of security agencies in the state, included an inspection parade and a march past. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Moses Solanke
