By Ralph Oluwatoyin.
The founder of Christ the Healing Stream Initiative, Evangelist Oyenike Daramola has called on the Nigerian government to make good use of the various talents of the inmates in the various centers of the Nigerian correctional services.
The leader of the CHSI, a non-governmental organization which had taken upon itself the responsibility of seeing to the welfares of inmates in the various centers in the country, made this call in Ado Ekiti while rounding up activities commemorating the 2023 Easter celebration for inmates across the country.
At the feasting for the 260 inmates in the male section of the Ondo state correctional service which was held on the 31st of March 2023 in Ondo town, Daramola observed that there are various useful talents, skills and professionals of various fields serving jail terms who could have also been engaged as part of the country’s labour force.
On the 1st of April 2023, CHSI also visited the female section for the inmates in Ondo where the people had produced different goods including shoes, bags among others and exhibited skills which were useful in driving the country’s micro- economy.
Presenting a set of drums and a sound system for the use in the male and the female sections respectively, Evangelist Daramola said that nobody is totally condemnable; hence government must tap into the usefulness of the inmates.
In Kaba, Kogi state center of the NCS, where 310 inmates were fed, She charged them not to see their current incarceration as the end of life but retrace their steps and hope in God for freedom, noting that God has a purpose for them and wants them to change from their old ways which brought them to the center.
Rounding off the program with the feasting for the inmates in Ekiti state center of the Nigerian Correctional service, housing 760 inmates, CHSI called on the state government to look into ways of decongesting the center, asking for state pardon particularly for those with minor cases.
Welcoming the officials of the NGO to the center, the Assistant comptroller of the Correctional Service (ACC) Thomas Alagbe Olugbemiga commended the initiative which had been sustained by Evangelist Daramola over the years.
He thanked her for supporting the various centers in the country in terms of rebuilding the morality for the inmates and making provisions for many of them who had been abandoned.
Corroborating the words of the preacher, Mrs Adedayo, who had in her sermon encouraged the inmates not to backslide or go back to their old ways, saying that God sees their hearts and victory is near, the secretary to the Ekiti state Government Dr Habibat Adubiaro who was represented by Alhaja Badmus Mariam advised the inmates to acquaint themselves with holy books which would help them seek the face of God at receiving mercies and divine correction and freedom.
She said that they should not lose hope or see themselves as condemned.
Other dignitaries at the event include the Ekiti state NLC chairman Mr Kolapo Olatunde, Mr Blessing Oladele, the immediate past PFN chairman, elder Daramola among others.
An Islamic quiz was conducted where gifts were presented to the participants.