Have you ever wondered what Correctional Centre for juveniles look like? How do the children get there by crimes they committed?
Have you also imagined what everyday activities look like in there? The time they will leave and what would happen to them afterwards?
Grab a drink; let me share my experience when I visited a correctional centre for boys.
In Lagos State, Nigeria, there are two notable Correctional Centres for juveniles.
- Special Correction Centre for Girls at 11/13 Ojerinde Street, Idi-Araba, Mushin, Lagos.
- Special Correctional Centre for Boys at 75a Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Lagos.
It was founded on the 1st of January 1970 with a mission to build and in-still quality character in the children. To lay good career foundation through teaching/learning so that they can be competent and self-reliant citizens after they might have been re-integrated back into the society. Read more here.
The visit to Special Correctional Centre for Boys at Oregun, on Friday 17th of December 2021 crowned my impact work for 2021. I volunteered with Joshua Dynasty and Spirited Sound ministry to execute the Evoke Smile & Evolve project. Themed: guiding juveniles through a renewed path of hope letting them know their capabilities and potentials.
We had skills acquisition sessions with them. The boys were trained on how to make beads, papercraft and adire attire.
What the correctional facility looks like
The correctional facility for boys seats majestically beside a major road on 75a Kudirat Abiola Way Oregun, Lagos. A view from the outside is a well-structured fence painted in cream and brown with barbed wires on top.
A small house used by security operatives manning the front perimeter is attached to the fence near the iron gate. There are strict rules to entry, but if you are able to identify yourself and state your mission, you would be allowed in.
After gaining entry through the gate is a compound where visitors park their vehicles. This compound which is about 100 yards has another gate that leads to the main arena.
The main area has well structured blocks of classrooms, a basketball court and water facility.
How the children got to the correctional centre
Most of us assume that the only reason juveniles find themselves at a correctional facility is when they have committed a crime, truancy, being notorious, or have gone past parental control. While that is largely true, there are other reasons which I will tell you about in this section.
It is worthy of not that we were instructed to refer to the boys as students and not as offenders or prisoners. So, if you ever visit a correctional centre, you know what to call the boys or girls you meet there.
Over the years, there have been cases where a person younger than 18 years allegedly committed a crime (child offenders). When such a person gets arrested, they are remanded at a correctional facility for juveniles and await trials.
On another note, some of the boys did not commit a crime. If you are a Nigerian, you would have met children on the street wandering, loitering and begging for money. They do not seem to have parents or even a shelter to stay. Security operatives apprehend these children periodically to get them off the streets. They are later sent a correctional facility to be catered for.
One of the boys told me that he came from Ibadan to Lagos. He had heard how Lagos was a lucrative city where you can make ends meet. He decided to find his way into Lagos. However, luck was not on his side as it was not long that the men of the Police Force raided and he was apprehended.
What happens daily at the correctional facility?
Inside the facility are blocks of classrooms, from primary 1 to 6. Here the students are taught different subjects. I do not have information about the curriculum or the subjects, but the boys told me that they are taught basic literacy and numeracy.
So, they wake up every day, do their devotions and head to school for activities. Some of the older boys are enrolled in skills like tailoring, photography etc. There are also times when organisations visit them. They engage them in seminars or skills acquisition training. On such occasion the boys converge at the hall.
When will the boys leave the correctional centre?
I do not have a definite answer to this as there was no information about it by any of the officials. The age range of boys was around 9 – 18years. This probably means that they would be re integrated into the society when they pass 18 years.
One of the boys narrated to me how he heard that people come and adopt children from the correction centre. He hope that very soon a visitor would develop interest in him and adopt him.
What next after life at a correctional facility?
Some non-profit organisations, religious bodies and eminent personalities are working in this line to ensure that individuals who have served some term at a correctional facility are properly integrated back into the society. One of such organisations is Joshua Dynasty.
Joshua Dynasty is an non-Governmental organisation established in 2016. It was founded with the goal of restoring hope and creating a path of sustainable livelihood to neglected people around the world.
Their principal goal is pivoted towards Prison reform advocacy, prisoner rehabilitation advocacy, orphanage creation, schools outreach and establishment of housing units.
Disclaimer: Please note that the information contained in this post was gathered through observation from the words of the students and unofficial discussions at the centre.
The identities of the boys are protected according to the law which explains why their faces are not shown in the photos used in this post.
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How can you help us pick a boy at 3 Gbolahan Street igando Ara junction, Agric Road.
Please I have a boy of 17 years, he is not serious with his life. He relates with wrong set of people. His behaviour is becoming unbearable, tolerated, very stubborn and wicked. He doesn’t what he likes. He has no vision for future at all.
Please I have a boy of 17 years, he is not serious with his life. He relates with wrong set of people. His behaviour is becoming unbearable, tolerated, very stubborn and wicked. He doesn’t what he likes. He has no vision for future at all. How can I bring him there.
Pls sir my boy is 12 years when he goes to school he will come back home around 8 pm he lies a lot and easily lured to do what is not right pls how can you help me about it
Pls I want to bring my son to the correctional centre he has been showing waywardness and some habits of not to be an obedient child then I want him to have a rethink so that he would be able to say no to wrong doings
Pls I’ll like to send my son here
Good evening sir, my son is 16yrs and very stubborn. He steals and lie, we as parents have talk to him, pastors and brothers in church have help talk to him. I don’t know what else to do and he going to write waec and jamb this coming year. Please how will you help me out. Thanks
Good evening,pls I have a Nephew who is just about 12 Years old..He is too stubborn,he does not listen to instructions,beats up his Little siblings at will but doesn’t steal..
His misbehaviors is giving us a lot of concern..I would want to know if there’s a way that u guys can take him so that he could see life from a different angle and change for the best…
Pls I look forward to your response..Thank you!!!
Please I have a boy is my brother first born very stubborn how can you take him please to teach home how to leave life