By Richard Thomas
Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba (Dr) Lekan Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunmade II on Monday called for proper welfare of the inmates of the Correctional Center to truly reflect the new name recently adopted by the para-military agency hitherto called Nigeria Prison Service.
Oba Balogun made this call while playing host to the new Deputy Controller of Corrections of Nigerian Correctional Services (NCC), Abdul Jeleel Odunlami in his Alarere residence. He praised the government for the new name given to the agency, but said the government must work its talk.
Olubadan, in a statement through his Personal Assistant (Media), Oladele Ogunsola which was made available to journalists in Ibadan said the inmates could still become useful citizens if given correct orientation and welfare befitting human beings.
According to him, “the initiative of the government to change the name from Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) to Nigerian Correctional Services (NCC) is a welcomed development and in tandem with operates in advance countries, saying going into such places should not amount to total write-off but should be a place to be sober and develop acceptable behavioural pattern.
“This can only come into manifestation in a conducive environment where all forms of human degradation are not encouraged. I’m appreciative of what you are doing in your centre here at Agodi as just relayed by you and it is my hope and belief that with necessary support and cooperation of all the stakeholders, there would be expected change in the lives of your inmates whenever they regain their freedom”, Olubadan added.
Earlier in his brief remark at the event which had in attendance the Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade, Ajia Olubadan, Chief Suraj Abiola Iyiola and Mogaji Odugade, Tunji Ajala and some others, the visitor, Abdul Jeleel Odunlami disclosed that the orientation of the Centre had changed in tune with the new name.
He explained that in line with the new policy directive, the Agodi Centre where he was posted to about a month ago had engaged in various activities to truly make the Centre live up to its name. For instance, he explained that the Centre “is in partnership with The Polytechnic Ibadan on how some of the inmates that wanted to upgrade themselves academically could do so at the Centre”.
The DC, NCC, Agodi who said he came to the Palace to pay homage used the occasion to solicit for cooperation and support of his host and other critical stakeholders in the metropolis, stressing that such assistance could come in any form considered useful and beneficial to the inmates, adding, “we need assistance in various forms towards making our inmates presentable. At times, when we present them in court, some of them appear in tattered cloths.
“We appeal to Your Majesty to help let the residents know that all of us have responsibilities to the inmates. They are our brothers and sisters. If census of the inmates at Agodi today is taken, ninety-nine percent (99%) of them are Yorubas, meaning that only one percent of them are outside of the region”, he added.
