Corps member serving in Ekiti empowers 15 ex-convicts

A serving corps member in Ekiti, Anuoluwapo Balogun, has empowered 15 ex-convicts with tools in various skills, as her personal Community Development Service (CDS) project under the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC).

Balogun, whose passion was borne out of the psychological challenges facing ex-convicts after their freedom, said on Wednesday that she embarked on the seamless project to make impact in her immediate environment.

She listed such challenges to include stigmatisation, discrimination, isolation and instability.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that three ex-convicts were empowered in plumbing, barbing and painting, while 12 others were empowered with tiling, furniture craft, tailoring, auto-mechanics and wood operation tools.

Balogun presented the empowerment tools to the ex-convicts at the one-day sensitisation programme in Ado-Ekiti.

It was tagged: “Sensitisation of the Public Against Stigmatisation of the Ex-Convicts.”

In her remarks, Balogun said that the project was aimed at rehabilitating, reforming and reintegrating the ex-convicts.

She urged the Federal Government and other relevant stakeholders to map out programmes toward their proper reintegration into the society.

Balogun said, during the pre-release counselling sessions with the ex-convicts, she discovered that the various offences they committed were as a result of poverty, improper upbringing, among others.

“This project is set to rehabilitate, reform and reintegrate a sizeable number of ex-convicts in Ekiti, though in a smaller version of the big institution I have in mind, which the Federal and State Governments should take up.

“During the one month pre-release counselling sessions with the inmates, with the professional services, I realised that most of the crimes committed were as a result of poverty, poor upbringing and a bad influence.

“It is on this note that I urge the government to have a well structured rehabilitation centre for them in the custodial centre.

“This is to ensure that psychology of the name is not just being changed, but a lot being changed about them by getting them up skilled, also with a lot of therapy sessions,” she said.

Commenting, Mrs Mary Chikezie, the NYSC Coordinator in Ekiti, lauded the efforts of Balogun in empowering the ex-convicts.

Chikezie said, “It is in tandem with the reasons behind the formation of the scheme.”

She enjoined the teeming public to assist corps members in their personal CDS projects, and desist from stigmatising the ex-convicts.

“One of the virtues is the empathy; we encourage them to wear the shoes of the other person and know how it pinches and that is exactly what Balogun has done, translating the theories in the camp to action.

“One of the things they do is to carry out personal CDS projects; what she has done is the personal CDS project.

“We encourage them to get into their host communities, live with them, identify their problems and help them proffer solutions.

“She has actually tried by her actions; she has spoken to, not just the people in Ekiti State, but to every Nigerian. Let us not stigmatise ex-convicts. It is a spiritual one,” Chikezie said.

The event, which was in partnership with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Ekiti State Directorate, had papers presentation on the theme: “The Prevention of Recividism and Social Reintegration of Ex-convicts”.

The paper presenters were Joseph Ojo, the Comptroller, Ado-Ekiti Custodial Centre; Dr Bukola Ajayi, a Clinical Psychologist with the Ekiti State University and Tosin Ayo, Principal Partner, Castles and Temples, respectively presented papers at the event.

Responding, Joseph Ojo, the Controller, Nigeria Correctional Service, Ado-Ekiti Custodial Centre, thanked the initiator of the programme, her partners and sponsors for their foresight.

Ojo appealed to the governments at all levels, wealthy individuals and corporate organisations to assist ex-convicts to enable the centre to live up to its new name, a correctional centre.

Receiving the tools on behalf of the ex-convicts, he promised to monitor the beneficiaries to ensure that they use the tools for what they were meant for.(NAN)