A chance encounter at Olumo Rock during the 2026 Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Week has changed the life of 15-year-old Ridwan Bolaji. The teenager, who completed primary school at Ijaye Community Nursery and Primary School, Gbangba in July 2023, had been out of school for three years due to financial hardship and was surviving by taking photos for tourists at the Abeokuta tourist site.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi B. Babaseyi, who represented CP Bode Ojajuni at the event, noticed Ridwan’s confidence behind the camera and discovered he was out of school. Moved by his story, the PPRO pledged to sponsor his return to class. The pledge quickly drew support from PCRC leadership across the country. Donations announced on the spot totaled ₦525,000, including ₦200,000 from the National Safe School Club Project, ₦100,000 each from the PCRC National Chairman’s Special Advisers and PCRC Zone 2, ₦50,000 from PCRC South-West and Ogun State PCRC, and ₦25,000 from the Ogun Safe School Club. PCRC National Chairman, Alhaji Mogaji Ibrahim Olaniyan, also pledged to cover Ridwan’s second-term fees, while members made individual contributions for the boy and his mother, who wept with joy.
Stakeholders described the intervention as community policing in action under IGP Tunji Disu, noting that protecting vulnerable children from poverty and idleness also strengthens public safety. For Ridwan, the moment at Olumo Rock marks a turning point — from hustling with a camera to a renewed opportunity to learn, develop his photography skill, and build a future. His story, officials said, shows how spotting talent and acting with compassion can turn hardship into hope.
