Kirikiri prison inmate bags Degree in Theology

An inmate of Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, Albert Emmanuel Ajogbor, has bagged a Degree in Theology while under incarceration.

Ajogbor, who was incarcerated in 2004, was presented with his degree certificate at the prison on Thursday.

Mr Seye Odutan, the Deputy Controller in- charge of the Kirikiri prisons, said the feat recorded by Ajagbor followed the establishment of a West African Examination Council centre at the facility.

According to Odutan, the centre was established to facilitate the inmates’ participation in the yearly November/December diet of the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination for private candidates.

He said that before now, it was challenging and risky, taking the inmates out to designated centres for the examination, while most inmates wishing to study had no such opportunity.

“Now they feel encouraged to enroll in the prison school and subsequently enroll for the examination.

“I want to express satisfaction at the various structures and facilities put in place at the facility to enhance teaching and learning.

“The prison is a reformation and rehabilitation centre, not just necessarily a place to keep offenders in custody.

“We are aware of the importance of education in the lives of individuals and that includes those in incarceration.

“We are happy to get this place approved as a centre for WAEC organized examination which was flagged off in 2015.

“As you can see, in the school itself, we have well furnished library, stocked with modern books in core subjects as well as computers and its accessories.’’

Odutan said that officials of the facility would continue to put things in place that would encourage learning and skills acquisition as part of measures to better the lives of the inmates.

He, however, decried the shortage of volunteer teachers, particularly at the secondary section of the school.

Also speaking, prison’s welfare officer, Rasheed Ogundare pleaded with the Federal Government to post teachers to prison schools.

“We are aware of government’s plan to employ 500,000 teachers for schools across the country.

“Let us use this medium to plead with government to send some to the facilities to assist in our quest for teaching and learning,’’ he said.