For about 35 years, motorists and residents in Abeokuta watched her command traffic at some of the city’s busiest junctions. On Monday, August 31, 2026, they returned the gesture with an emotional street farewell.
Known affectionately as “Aunty Anifa,” the veteran traffic warden was surrounded by residents, motorists and well-wishers as she marked the end of her long career on the road.
Videos circulating locally show people gathering around the traffic officer, celebrating her service and taking photographs as she made what residents described as her final appearance at the junction.
Although she is popularly known as Aunty Anifa, older press reports identified her as Inspector Anifat Bello. A 2016 Vanguard report described her as a traffic officer stationed at the NNPC junction on IBB Boulevard in Abeokuta.
Residents have also associated her with other busy locations, including Idi-Aba, Iyana Mortuary and Kuto, where generations of motorists and schoolchildren became familiar with her presence.
Her reported 1991 entry into the traffic service would mean she spent approximately 35 years on duty before retiring in 2026.
For many Abeokuta residents, however, her retirement is about more than the number of years she spent in uniform. It is the departure of a familiar face from the city’s roads.
People who grew up attending schools around the affected routes have shared memories of seeing her directing vehicles during busy periods, particularly around school hours and rush-hour traffic.
Her reputation had also been recognised in the past. The 2016 Vanguard report noted that she had been commended for her diligence and that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had reportedly recommended her for a national honour during a visit to Ogun State.
The officer’s career was not without challenges. In 2016, reports said she was assaulted while carrying out her duties at the NNPC junction after attempting to stop a vehicle. The incident prompted police authorities to order an investigation.
That history has added emotional weight to the latest farewell, with residents viewing the street celebration as a tribute to someone who spent decades working in a demanding public-facing role.
Several farewell posts have also circulated additional stories about Aunty Anifa, including claims about her personal sacrifices, prayers while working and her family responsibilities. However, those details have not been independently confirmed by the Nigeria Police Force, Ogun State authorities or the Nigerian Union of Journalists and are therefore best treated as part of the tributes circulating online rather than established biographical facts.
There have also been reports of a formal retirement celebration scheduled for September 19, 2026, at Heritage Estate in Abeokuta. The event has been mentioned in local media circulation, although no official confirmation from the police or Ogun State Government was identified.
What is clear is the public response to her departure.
The scenes from Abeokuta show motorists and residents stopping to celebrate a traffic officer whose working life became part of the daily rhythm of the city.
For thousands who passed through the junctions where she served, Aunty Anifa was more than another uniformed officer controlling traffic. She became a familiar presence — one that many residents saw during school runs, business trips, market journeys and ordinary days in Abeokuta.
After decades of standing in the middle of busy roads and helping keep traffic moving, Aunty Anifa has finally stepped away from the junctions.
And before she left, Abeokuta made sure to say thank you.
Shola Akinyele
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