I was unlucky with women – 84-year old retired police officer

A retired Police Superintendent, Chief Bayo Alugbin, shares with TEMITOPE ADETUNJI his career life and other experiences

What was turning 84 like?

It made me think a lot about my life. I’m happy and thankful to God for keeping me going this long. It’s a good feeling to know I’ve made it this far. I look back on my life and feel grateful for the good times and for getting through the tough times. I know life is short, but I also feel peaceful knowing I’ve reached 84. I thank God every day for giving me another year and for all the good things in my life. I want to make the most of every day and appreciate what I have. Turning 84 has reminded me to enjoy life and be thankful for everything.

What was growing up like for you and where are you from?



I am from Idikan in Ibadan North West, Oyo State. My family name is Alugbin, and my village is also called Alugbin. I grew up in a compound called Agbole Okebiyi.

When did you get married and how did you meet your wife?

I met her in 1963 and got married in Ibadan in 1965.

How did you meet her?

We met in Benin City. I was a young officer. I was an assistant superintendent of police at the age of 23. In 1963, I was about the youngest civil servant in the country. I met my wife in 1963, and one thing led to another, and we got married in 1965.

What qualities drew you to her?

She was a very quiet and nice lady. I got married at age 25 in 1965, but we got divorced in 1972, and I haven’t been married since then.

What led to your divorce in 1972?

I can’t even say exactly what led to it. We just found out we couldn’t be together. We each have our own status to deal with. We discovered we had no more capacity to get along.

Why didn’t you remarry?


I tried to, but it just didn’t work out.

Is your wife the mother of the seven children?

No, I have other children from another woman.

So, why didn’t you get married to the other woman?

I tried to, but it didn’t work out.

How did you cope with the kids when you divorced?

I may not be lucky in my women, but I was very lucky with my children. I took care of them until they were grown enough to take care of themselves.

Why did you retire prematurely?

I mentioned that I was among the first set of people retired by Muritala Mohammed Junta. They termed it as being in the interest of the nation – whatever that means.

How have you been able to create a bond with your children?

By the grace of God, I have other children. They are all over the world doing well, and I’m grateful to God for that. I have four of them in the United States, I have one in Europe, and I have three here in Nigeria. They’re all doing great in their chosen careers, and I have been able to create bonds among the children.

What were the memorable cases or operations you were involved in during your tenure as a police superintendent?

I took part in the Civil War. I was posted to the war front, and I was able to survive the war and come back safe. After that, I was posted to Sokoto. I met a lot of very important people, including traditional rulers. And then in 1975, we were among the set of people that were retired after the coup that removed Gowon. I was retired at the age of 35 and they paid me my benefits. I’ve been receiving a pension since then.

You mentioned that you retired at 35 years as a superintendent, was that the normal age for retirement then?


I was among the first set of people retired by Muritala Mohammed Junta. They termed it as being in the interest of the nation, whatever that means. Normally, before you retire, you must have put in 35 years of service or you are 65 years unless you have a medical issue. However, mine was not so. I was 35 years old when I retired.

What inspired you to pursue a career in law enforcement?

In my final year in a technical college in Sapele, the government of the western region introduced various professions to us. I was fascinated seeing police officers smartly dressed. Luckily for me, my height was right, I was over six feet even then. Only two of us were recruited by the police force, and we were thirteen in that class.

I was trained at the southern police college, Ikeja, then at a police training school, Hendon in London, and all sorts of local training. You had to undergo different training for you to be in the service in those days, and we were lucky to have the opportunity because we just gained independence. Nowadays, people think the government doesn’t want to give jobs because we had jobs then, but it was because there were always vacancies then. In 1960, there were only three universities and we have about four colleges of education compared to what we have today. The number of people that graduated then and now is not the same.

How was the leadership structure within the police force then and what values were most important to you as a police superintendent?

We have clear guidelines on what you should do as a policeman. We have superiors and subordinates.

Can you share some insights into what led to the dissolution of your marriage?


I divorced in 1972. You see it is wrong for people to be judgmental about marriages and divorce. It’s wrong. Each couple knows why they were friends yesterday, and are less friendly today. People should stop passing judgment on others for choosing to pursue a divorce, as it is a personal decision. So it’s an individual matter.

Could you share the schools you’ve attended?

I attended Sacred Heart School, St. Patrick’s Ibadan, and then from there, I went to St. Michaels School, Ibadan. I then went to Government Technical College Sapele. I left there in 1960 after which I joined the Nigeria Tobacco Company. I worked there for about three months I also worked with BEWAC company located in Apapa. After that, I joined the Nigerian Police where I worked for 15 years. I have an autobiography I am writing to share my story. It will be published soon.

What were you doing after retirement?

I told you that my basic training was in automobile engineering. I worked with organisations, served as a consultant, and acted as an adviser to AIT.

What are the lessons you’ve learned so far?

My life experience will take a whole book. For instance, as I said, I have an autobiography I’m just writing, and it will be published very soon.


How would you describe the evolution of law enforcement since your tenure as a police officer?

Law enforcement has changed a lot since I was a police officer. In those days, people respected and feared policemen, but it is not so anymore.

Can you share insights about mentors who significantly influenced your career, and how their guidance shaped your professional journey?

Two people significantly influenced my career. One is a white man, the late Mr. B.A.H Moreton, and a black man, Prince Adebobajo Adesida. They are both late now but they were great men. When I was posted to Ibadan, Mr.B.A.H Moreton was in charge and he provided the necessary guidance for me. He was transferred to Benin and I was lucky to be posted to him in Benin again. He was the first man who asked for my salary bank statement and advised me on how to manage my salary. I was an inspector then, and he advised me to allocate 10 per cent of my salary towards life insurance as a prudent financial measure. That provided valuable guidance to me.

What technology do you wish you had access to during your law enforcement career?

The first thing one would think about is the communication. In those days, you have the telephone wire and the rest. Things have now evolved and communication is faster and better with the communication technology we now have. Even the vehicles that we now drive are technologically advanced. Then we typed all documents with the typewriter in the office, but now you can write a memo and share it from your computer. The computer has taken over all the things we do then. I wish we had technology in those days, it would have made life easier for us.

Who were some of your colleagues and friends you worked with during your time as a police officer?


I worked with and have some wonderful friends who were also very trustworthy and close to me, but they’ve all passed on now. As I’m sitting down here and the sun is shining, if they tell me the sun is not shining, I will believe them because they are always telling the truth. They are friends I trust. One of them is the late Elder Akintokun. We went to Technical College together, and we were friends for life. There is also the late Stephen Akiga. He was a prison officer and later a minister of youths and sports under Obasanjo. I’m lucky I still have some of my friends who are still alive. Like General Akinrinade, if he tells me “Bayo there’s no road here, even if I see it wide, I will not go because I know that’s the truth. Then I have someone like General Alabi Isama as a friend. We were at the battlefront together, and we saw people die beside us, but we’re still alive today while many of our friends are gone.

Reflecting on your career as a police superintendent, what achievements or contributions are you most proud of?

I’m proud of the service I rendered.

What advice would you give young people considering a career in law enforcement today?

If a young man is interested in any job, he should be ready to put in his best. There are no half-measures in anything. Put in your best, and you’ll get the reward. What I find strange is that people will say they want to have another string of income. I can’t imagine that in my time. What you do is take all the options of investment like insurance, but for a policeman to set up a beer parlor, that’s wrong. You must avoid anything that could distract you from your duty.

What do you hope your legacy is within law enforcement and what impact did you believe you had?

I don’t think I have a legacy because I was not a very senior officer. To talk of legacy you need to talk about the commissioner of police and above. However, at the level where I served, all the officers and men who worked with me, I believe they must have learnt from my attitude to work.

How did you maintain a work-life balance during your career as a police officer?

Well, your work-life balance was not easy because, in the police, you are always busy. That is the nature of the police force. Crimes can occur anytime and your attention might be needed.

Can you share a time when you had to manage a crisis and how you pulled through it?

That was when I was posted to Sokoto and the major senior officers were not around. There was a tribal conflict between the Yorubas and the indigenes. The traditional ruler, Sir Abubakar, the sultan of Sokoto managed the situation very well. He put his foot down and we were able to address the situation and bring things under control before the arrival of the senior officers.

What are you most grateful for?

I’m grateful that I’m here, alive. I’m grateful for being a Nigerian, and I am grateful God gave me good health too.

Is your wife the mother of the seven children?

No, I have other children from another woman.

So, why didn’t you get married to the other woman?

I tried to, but it didn’t work out.