Chief Hector Adeyeye Vincent Omooba (1924 – 1996)
By
Seye Adetunmbi
One of the very few men of impeccable character who gave the Nigerian Police Force of old good name, was Chief Hector Adeyeye Vincent Omooba.
The super cop was born on December 18, 1924 in Iyin-Ekiti. Had his primary education at All Saints’ Primary School, Iyin-Ekiti (Infant 1 to Primary III) in 1933 to 1938 and Emmanuel Primary School, Ado-Ekiti where he attended Standard IV in 1939.
He was a product of Christ’s School Ado-Ekiti which he attended between 1940 and 1945, his school number was 40/027. Chief Omooba was among the seven students who passed through the exclusive coaching of Archdeacon Dallimore the founder of Christ’s School Ado-Ekiti and obtained Senior Cambridge School Certificate with the exemption of London University Matriculation Examination. The magnificent seven were the first set that passed the Cambridge exam which gave Christ’s School the maiden boost in excellence.
From the 4th of January 1946 to 31st of December 1947, he was at the School of Agriculture Ibadan and worked as Agricultural Assistant Grade III in Rotational Laboratory (Cocoa Research) Moor Plantation, Ibadan between 1st of January 1948 and 31st of July 1948.On the 1st of August 1948 he got enlisted in the colonial police force as a Constable. He rose through the ranks in the Nigerian Police, in 1955, he was already of an Inspector rank. Between 1st of January 1960 and 30th of June 1960, he was at the Police Staff College, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry in United Kingdom. He attended Secret Intelligence Course with the British Secret Service between 1st of July 1967 and 31st of July 1967. On the 1st of June 1971, he was promoted to the rank of a Commissioner of Police. He later served as a Commissioner of Police in virtually all the old 12 States of the Nigerian federation. The distinguished Ekiti man was “true to type” in his honourable ways.
As a product of Christ’s School, he kept to the ethos of his alma mater, “not in name only, but in deeds and in truth”. For being a straight, disciplined and upright cop of integrity that would not tolerate corruption he was made to face a Police Court Marshal to castigate him in 1973. Chief Omooba came out of it unscathed as the first police officer ever to win such a trial in the history of Police Force in Nigeria. He retired as the Commissioner of Police for the South Eastern State in 1975.
Apart from his devotion to the police career, he was available to serve in different honourable capacities. He was a member of Lagos Area Football Association as far back as 1966 and between 1967 and 1968 he was a member of Western Nigeria Football Association, Ibadan. Between 1st of April in 1967 and 28th of March 1968, he served as a Director on the Board of Western Nigeria Housing Corporation, Ibadan. During the federal military government of 1966 and 1975 in Nigeria, he served in the government of North-Eastern State Government in Maiduguri in 1968 to 1970, Kano State Government in 1970 to 1971, Mid-Western State in Benin-City in 1971 and South Eastern State Government in Calabar in 1975.
Chief H. A. V. Omooba was a member of AWAM Society that was a front-line promoter of I.K. Dairo and Ebenezer Obey in their early days. He kept company of high profile of fellow omoluabi Yoruba men of repute. Apparently, he was in good company and a jolly good fellow among his clique of friends that included Oba Okunade Sijuade, Chief Henry Fajemirokun, Chief Lekan Salami, Chief Abiola Abioro, Chief Abiola Oshodi, the erudite lawyer of the Tapa Oshodi family of Lagos, Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo, onetime Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Chief Ola, Chief Odunewu Allah Deh, Chief Odueke, Chief Oshinubi, Chief Oshinjirin and Prince Adejugbe.
He was married to Chief (Mrs) Victoria Sunmola Omooba, a virtuous and resourceful wife and mother. The marriage was blessed with successful children to the glory of God. Also, he was a
dedicated member of Anglican Communion; a prominent member of
the Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church. He was quite close to the then Primate,
the Most Reverend Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye and served on the board of the property
and investment company of the Diocese of Lagos. Chief Hector Omooba was among the old students of Christ’s School who attached so much to the heritage of the great institution. Virtually all his children attended Christ’s School. His son, Pastor Segun Omoba was one of my favourite junior students when I was in the school. His other children
who attended the school are Mrs Dele Adeyemi, Mrs Modupe Alex-Zitto and Pastor
Debo Omooba. I was very happy when I saw Baba in the early 1980s when I came to Lagos with a brother-in-law who stopped over at his Modupe House in Maryland, Lagos to pay him a courtesy call.
An accomplished senior cop like him could not have hard such a colourful career without awards, honours and rewards. He won War Medal, Independence Medal, Nigeria Police Medal for Meritorious Service and Nigeria Police Long Service Award. On retirement, he went into private business of transportation in 1975 to 1976.
He joined Lovell Stewart Nigeria Limited on the 20th of April 1976 as the General Manager, Administration for the company of building and civil engineering contractors in Lagos and was appointed an Executive Director of the company on the 31st of January 1979. The company built the
first set of Hangers at the old Ikeja Airport.
His hobbies included photography, walking, gardening and the sport of badminton.
Chief Hector Omooba passed on in September 1996, may his gentle soul continue to rest in peace.
