 |
| Correction Officers, Sola Opesan Brown & daughter, Natural |
I spent the last few days of the year 2016 and the first few days of the year 2017 at home. The serenity of the place, especially the calmness and the inner peace in me, the feeling that I'm home gives me joy. Not only the joy of the smell of the air, the leaves, the sky, the soil, the people, everything altogether gives joy and calmness.
While in this mood of tranquility and relaxation, one thing keeps coming into my mind, which is a must to do before I leave. It has always been my culture that each time I'm around I must impact the community, the people, especially the underprivileged, unheard and unvisited ones. At least to touch just a person and leave a good memory behind so as to keep them going and make them believe that tomorrow will be better is a good feeling.
Yes, I put it down as spending my New Year's eve with the prison inmates and New Year's day at late Margaret Garba Ohiani Orphanage which I have been once.
On the 30th of December, I went to the Nigerian Prisons Service (Kogi State Command, Lokoja). Since I know one can't just walk into the prison without proper approval. I had to do my homework.
The first Officer I met was very nice and polite, he's a welfare officer. I told him my interest in visiting the inmates and to support them in my own way; with inspirational speech and donation. The man was so pleased, because he knows the needs of the inmates and the lack of enough of required items.
He said, the approval has to come from the Controller of Prisons. He quickly talked to his colleagues in a room, that ushered me to the final room where the amiable Controller was. Controller Musa Y. Masa was a complete gentle with passion, seems calm and humble. He deeply understands the pains of the inmates and the injustices. We discussed on how so many innocent ones are being kept there.
 |
| Sola Opesan Brown & The Controller of Prisons (Musa Y. Maza) |
Well, I introduced myself to him, I told him my mission. He was happy, but seems the procedure will take two days or there about, because an application must be submitted and then looked into before approving it. Politely and calmly I explained to him that I'm not a permanent resident in Kogi, meaning I won't be able to wait too long due to my other commitments and also it's very close to the time for me to return. He understood, he said he wouldn't want the inmates to miss the opportunity of the donation and also meeting me, because it's not often a common gesture. He immediately asked me to write my application and submit it so that it can be processed. The Welfare Officer Yakubu took me on a walk back to his office where I sat, we discussed and I got the application done. I was calm, ready and prepared to do it there and then because for me it was something I love to do. Giving a little bit of me back to the community is never too much.
 |
| Sola Opesan Brown & Natural |
They adviced me which items to get for the inmates since not everything is allowed, and more importantly they know what they need most. I increased my budget just because of the controllers passion and the welfare officer's readiness to assist these inmates, and to make it possible for me to meet them.
The application was submitted, then waited for the approval. The nearest prison and suggested one for me to visit was Koton-Karfe Medium Security Prison, Kogi State.
 |
| Sola Opesan Brown & Natural |
We are to be there at 12.00 on the 31st of December, that for me is a special day to see them. A day that is mostly family and friends reunion, a day we think of all we have done and not done throughout the whole year, a time people wants to love and be loved. A day to hug, touch and pray. I said to myself, it will be a perfect day to meet these brothers and let them know that they are not alone, they are not forgotten. A day for them to lift their spirits up and say, they love themselves and promise themselves to do their best in living a good life again. It's never too late to make a good U turn, having said that I know some of them were at the wrong place at the wrong time and got caught in a big mess, others due to their kindness got into a mess, while others committed an offence that they never knew was a crime. Yes! Surely there are those who committed crimes and knew that it was a crime at the point of doing it. Well, now is a time for 'rebirth', pay their dues and get back to a good life.
As soon as we got there we went through security checks. Then we handed over to the correction officers what we brought for the inmates, they appreciate it a lot. My little princess was with me all along. I'm training her the value of life and living. I explain to her about each thing we do, an act of loving and respecting humanity. Learning how to be obedient, to help and be fair to people, and give back to the community.
It was a reflective moment for me, as soon as they guards were opening the bars, and bars...This could be you or me, could be just anyone. We need to be careful in each thing we do. Even, when driving, one can commit an offence that will lead to being locked behind the bars. Helping someone can lead there, just like fighting too can lead to high crime as a result of death. We need to control our anger and think each time we do anything.
I greeted them, they were sitting on the floor and sober, I was very sensitive to the looks on their faces. All I saw was pure sadness and agony and kept in poor condition. I was happy I put a bit of smiles on their faces as I continued my speech. They laughed and laughed and shouted with joy. I guess they did three times; the moment I said they should pray with what they believe in, be it with the Bible, Quran or if they don't fall within those two, if is African Traditional Religion, they should. The most important thing is to pray and be good at heart to all. I told them, as for me, I'm not religious but Spiritual. I believe in one God and I respect all religions; I believe in love. Love took me there to visit them. They screamed again when I told them I came from afar to see them. I believe the inmates in the last zone smiled and looked straight into my eyes when I said "Kick it off", for them to kick their sorrows and agony off and plan for a brighter day. I was glad I was able to comfort them a day like that. A bit hard for me seeing what they were going through, but I'm glad I did visit. I explained to them that, there is injustice all over the world, and also the judiciary system is very slow everywhere, but surely some places are better than the other. They should be patient and work on their inner strength, I added.
There were three zones there, I visited all the zones, gave them the good tidings of peace, love and a better life after prison and promised to talk about them. What really touched me most was the discussion I had with two of the inmate leaders when we were about to leave. They said, "Thanks for coming, we really appreciate. You can see, the condition is bad and also no one comes to visit us; being here for almost 3 years, you are the second to visit in those years". I couldn't believe it, we as a community should do more, and let the chain of goodwill continue. They pleaded for amnesty for the few that are well behaved. I promised to talk about them and wished them all the best while they are there and when outside.
Before I stepped out of the bars I finally discussed with the Prison Correction Officers, I thanked them for the very sensitive work they are doing. A tough job, to discipline and also to show love; it's a mixture of both. Well, I saw passion and love on their faces and the manner they interact with the inmate leaders. I know it's not an easy job at all. They need to act according to the law of the land and also to show sympathy. They themselves must be well disciplined to be able to get a good job done and not run into troubles.
Well, we shook hands, I left with a smile. But as soon as I sat me down in the car so much was going in my head, thinking of the steps to take in conveying their pains and needs to the authority and to the whole world.
Writing about it is one of the steps.
- Sola Opesan Brown.
As soon as we got there we went through security checks. Then we handed over to the correction officers what we brought for the inmates, they appreciate it a lot. My little princess was with me all along. I'm training her the value of life and living. I explain to her about each thing we do, an act of loving and respecting humanity. Learning how to be obedient, to help and be fair to people, and give back to the community.
It was a reflective moment for me, as soon as they guards were opening the bars, and bars...This could be you or me, could be just anyone. We need to be careful in each thing we do. Even, when driving, one can commit an offence that will lead to being locked behind the bars. Helping someone can lead there, just like fighting too can lead to high crime as a result of death. We need to control our anger and think each time we do anything.
I greeted them, they were sitting on the floor and sober, I was very sensitive to the looks on their faces. All I saw was pure sadness and agony and kept in poor condition. I was happy I put a bit of smiles on their faces as I continued my speech. They laughed and laughed and shouted with joy. I guess they did three times; the moment I said they should pray with what they believe in, be it with the Bible, Quran or if they don't fall within those two, if is African Traditional Religion, they should. The most important thing is to pray and be good at heart to all. I told them, as for me, I'm not religious but Spiritual. I believe in one God and I respect all religions; I believe in love. Love took me there to visit them. They screamed again when I told them I came from afar to see them. I believe the inmates in the last zone smiled and looked straight into my eyes when I said "Kick it off", for them to kick their sorrows and agony off and plan for a brighter day. I was glad I was able to comfort them a day like that. A bit hard for me seeing what they were going through, but I'm glad I did visit. I explained to them that, there is injustice all over the world, and also the judiciary system is very slow everywhere, but surely some places are better than the other. They should be patient and work on their inner strength, I added.
 |
| Correction Officers & Sola Opesan Brown |
There were three zones there, I visited all the zones, gave them the good tidings of peace, love and a better life after prison and promised to talk about them. What really touched me most was the discussion I had with two of the inmate leaders when we were about to leave. They said, "Thanks for coming, we really appreciate. You can see, the condition is bad and also no one comes to visit us; being here for almost 3 years, you are the second to visit in those years". I couldn't believe it, we as a community should do more, and let the chain of goodwill continue. They pleaded for amnesty for the few that are well behaved. I promised to talk about them and wished them all the best while they are there and when outside.
Before I stepped out of the bars I finally discussed with the Prison Correction Officers, I thanked them for the very sensitive work they are doing. A tough job, to discipline and also to show love; it's a mixture of both. Well, I saw passion and love on their faces and the manner they interact with the inmate leaders. I know it's not an easy job at all. They need to act according to the law of the land and also to show sympathy. They themselves must be well disciplined to be able to get a good job done and not run into troubles.
Well, we shook hands, I left with a smile. But as soon as I sat me down in the car so much was going in my head, thinking of the steps to take in conveying their pains and needs to the authority and to the whole world.
 |
| Sola Opesan Brown |
Writing about it is one of the steps.
- Sola Opesan Brown.
No comments:
Post a Comment