Dignitaries on Friday gathered in Benin City to pay their last respect to former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, who was laid to rest at a private cemetery following a funeral mass at St. Paul Catholic Church.
Among those in attendance were Edo State Governor, represented by his deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa; Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri; Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi; and the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, represented by Chief Oseni Elamah and Chief Uso Osaretin, the Usoh of Benin Kingdom.
Others included FRSC Zone 5 Commander, Stella Orakwe; Secretary to the Police Service Commission, Onyeabuchi Nnamani; and Senator Neda Imasuen.
In his homily, Reverend Father Andrew Obiyan urged the congregation to live purposeful lives anchored on faith. He reminded them that earthly titles and achievements mean little compared to spiritual grace.
“Our true life is in heaven, and we must never be distracted,” he said. “At death, titles mean nothing to God. What matters is living a life of faith.
“We give glory to God that Arase reached the peak of his career while serving with humility and love.”
Governor Diri described Arase as a patriot who served the nation with distinction.
“Moments like this remind us of our mortality. We should be humbled to serve our state and country to the best of our ability. His professionalism, humility, and love for humanity remain his enduring legacies,” he said.
Arase, who passed away on August 31, 2025, was Inspector-General of Police between 2015 and 2016.
