Ogun Correctional Service Matriculates 52 Inmates, Seeks Govt Support For Rehabilitation

Firdaus Obiremi

The Nigerian Correctional Service, Ogun State Command, has matriculated 52 inmate students into educational programmes facilitated by the National Open University of Nigeria and the West African College for Christian Missions as part of efforts to promote rehabilitation and prepare them for reintegration into society.

The joint matriculation ceremony, held on Friday at the Old Abeokuta Custodial Centre, Ibara, Abeokuta, brought together correctional officers, representatives of the collaborating institutions, religious leaders and other stakeholders committed to the reformation of inmates through education.

Speaking at the event, the Controller of Corrections, Ogun State Command, Abioye Kamoru Adesina, described education as a vital instrument for reformation, rehabilitation and the successful reintegration of inmates into society.

Adesina said the initiative would provide the inmates with opportunities to acquire knowledge, develop their potential and prepare for productive lives after serving their sentences.

He described the programme as a source of hope and personal development for the inmates but stressed that sustained support from the government, philanthropists, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders was necessary to achieve its objectives.

According to him, the correctional service cannot independently address all the challenges associated with rehabilitating inmates without the support of other stakeholders.

“We also have a lot of challenges, which is the main reason why I always tell the public that the government alone cannot do everything for us. We need help from philanthropists, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders,” he said.

The controller also called on the government to provide greater support for the implementation of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019, particularly its provisions on reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration.

He maintained that the success of correctional facilities should not be measured solely by the confinement of offenders but also by their ability to prepare inmates for responsible living after their release.

Delivering the  leymote address, the Olu of Imasayi, Oba Lukman Kuoye , urged the newly matriculated students to remain committed to their studies and refuse to allow their past experiences to determine their future.

Speaking on the theme, “Unlocking Potentials for Life After Incarceration Through Education: Resilience and Reintegration,” the monarch said education could transform lives and create opportunities for people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Drawing from his personal experience, Oba Kuoye  disclosed that he was once a bus conductor but remained focused on his ambitions despite the circumstances surrounding his early life.

“There was a time I was a bus conductor, meaning that I did not allow that situation then to obstruct my focus. And what is my focus? Today, I am a PhD holder, and I am not a bus conductor of yesterday. This happened because I did not allow my past to override my future,” he said.

The monarch encouraged the inmates to approach their education with determination, stressing that their present circumstances should not prevent them from achieving their aspirations.

“My candid advice, not only to the inmates but to everyone outside here, is that the education they are embarking on as a journey today should be pursued with commitment so that, at the end of the day, after three or four years, they become graduates. No matter what, they should not allow their past to obstruct their future,” he added.

Olalekan also urged traditional rulers to play more active roles in community development, noting that their contributions were important to societal progress and national development.

Also speaking, the Director of the Centre for Justice, Mercy and Reconciliation, an Ibadan-based non-governmental organisation, Pastor Ezekaya Adeboye Olujobi, said education was essential to the rehabilitation of inmates and their eventual acceptance into society.

Olujobi, who identified advocacy, rehabilitation and reintegration as the organisation’s major areas of focus, said his team visited custodial centres across the South-West to receive complaints from inmates, investigate cases and pursue appropriate interventions for those believed to have been wrongfully convicted.

“We carry out investigations to facilitate their freedom,” he said.