Chidinma Ojukwu, a murder suspect, has graduated from the Onesimus Project Life Recovery pre-release empowerment programme at Lagos’ Kirikiri Medium Correctional Centre.
Ms Ojukwu is charged with the murder of Usifo Ataga, the former CEO of Super TV.
She was one of 29 male and female offenders who finished several skill-building programmes as part of an effort organized by the Prison Fellowship of Nigeria in collaboration with Covenant University and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria.
During Wednesday’s 13th graduation and 14th matriculation ceremonies, Ojukwu and ten other female offenders received certificates for finishing the program.
Additionally, 11 other female inmates and 18 male inmates matriculated, marking the beginning of their journey in the programme.
In total, 18 male inmates graduated as well, signifying the programme’s commitment to equipping inmates for a fresh start.
Project coordinator Pastor Sule Bamigbola reported significant progress in 2024, with 525 inmates successfully graduating and 60 others matriculating.
“We achieved a recidivism rate of only 11 per cent, which makes this project a huge success,” he said.
Bamigbola explained that the Onesimus Project was designed to shape participants into role models, equipped to share their experiences and new skills upon release.
“The essence of this project is to make graduates role models by the time they go out there, so they can tell people they’ve passed through the Onesimus Project,” Bamigbola added.
As part of the project, inmates learned various vocational skills, including shoemaking, soap production, leatherworking, barbing, and farming.
These activities allowed them to generate income while still in custody.
“We have inmates learning shoemaking, soap-making, leatherwork, and more,” Bamigbola noted.
“While they work, we sell these products through marketers and share the earnings with the inmates,” he added.
Representing the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr Haliru Nababa, Deputy Controller of Corrections, and officer–in charge of Medium Kirikiri, Mr Daniel Ogu, spoke about the importance of forgiveness in rehabilitation.
“Forgiving others also releases you, allowing for personal freedom,” he said.
He commended the programme for reshaping inmates and reminded them to avoid bitterness.
Foursquare Gospel Church’s general overseer Rev Dr Sam Aboyeji was represented by Rev Dr Emmanuel Adejoro.
