Asiwaju Dapo Wahab (left), Sheikh Al-Imam Iskeel Muh. Awwal, also known as Sugar (middle) and a Qur’anic tutor at the event.
Asiwaju Dapo Wahab, the Chairman of Asiwaju Dapo Wahab Foundation (ADWF), a peace initiative and non-governmental organisation has urged Federal and state governments to give adequate attention to correctional facilities in the country.
Speaking recently at the Quaranic Study Graduation Ceremony of sixteen inmates of Nigerian Correctional Service at Old Abeokuta Custodial Centre, Ibara, Ogun State, Asiwaju also implored governments in the country to always ensure speedy delivery of judgement to all inmates at correctional facilities rather than abandoning them without trials.
The chairman of ADWF, also a notable philantropist encouraged NGOs and well to do Nigerians to extend hands of support towards inmates’ welfare and those that need financial supports to get lawyers to attend to their cases most especially the innocent ones.
He called on parents to instill displine in their children as good parenting can help to keep keep children from being involved in criminal activities that can land them in jail.
Asiwaju stressed the negative effects of get rich quick syndrome which he noted is becoming rampant now in the society and begged youth not to be involved in it as there are no quick ways to riches than hard work.
He lauded the management of the Correctional Facility at Ibara, Abeokuta and asked them to organise this kind of religious education initiative more as he said this would instill restraint in the inmates and discourage future criminal tendencies.
The sixteen inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Service at Old Abeokuta Custodial Centre, Ibara, Ogun State on graduated after a six -month Qur’anic studies sponsored by the Wakeelul Musleem Yorubaland, Edo and Delta, Sheikh Al-Imam Iskeel Muh. Awwal a.k.a Alhaji Sugar, in collaboration with the League of Imams and Alfas, Ogun State.
Also speaking at the event, the sponsor, Sheikh Al-Imam Iskeel Muh. Awwal commended the Federal and the state governments for allowing the Qur’anic studies to be imparted on the graduands.
He pleaded with governments to consider this set of inmates who had undergone this transformation to be granted amnesty, as he argued that “they will be useful to the nation because they now know what is right and what is wrong.”
He also noted that religion and importation of religious tenets and precepts could play an enormous part in helping the growth of our society.
In his own speech, the Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of Ibara Custodial Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Mr Bamidele Oshin noted that this was the first time Qur’anic studies were imparted to inmates at the custodial centre, but there had been inmates who had graduated in Christian Theology in April this year.
He pointed out that as part of the core mandates of the Nigerian Correctional Service which are reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration, it could be carried out in diverse ways, and this religious integration was one of them.
Mr Oshin called on other religious bodies, Non-Governmental Organisations, communities and other well meaning Nigerians to partner NCS in initiating such laudable programmes, while advising the youths to shun all forms of vices as they only lead to regrets in the long run.
