No fewer than 38 inmates, including death row convicts at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Ibara, Abeokuta, have graduated with academic honours from the West African College for Christian Missions.
The graduates, comprising 32 men and six women, earned either a Bachelor of Arts in Theology or a Diploma in Missions.
The convocation ceremony was held within the prison walls.
The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, whose speech was delivered by the Ogun State Controller of Corrections, Abioye Adesina, described the occasion as a milestone in the agency’s rehabilitation agenda.
“Today, we gather not behind walls and fences, but beyond the barriers of stigma, past mistakes, and societal labels. We gather here to honor resilience, recognize transformation, and celebrate the power of education within correctional walls,” he said
Nwakuche praised the inmates’ determination to embrace growth and discipline despite their confinement, and called them “scholars in correction.”
He added, “You have chosen growth over despair, discipline over distraction and purpose over regret. That is no small feat.”
He also praised the college and other partners for their role in facilitating prison education, urging inmates to see their certificates as tangible proof that reform is possible, and that correctional centers can serve as environments for progress.
In a keynote address delivered on his behalf, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Prof. Olusola Kehinde, who was epresented by Prof. Fafiolu Olusesan, spoke on “Education: A Catalyst for Total Reformation Empowering Inmates for a Better Life Beyond Bars.”
He said, “As we stand here, we acknowledge the power of education to reform, rehabilitate, and uplift. It is more than textbooks and lectures; it is a pathway to dignity, purpose, and reintegration. When we empower inmates with knowledge, we ignite the spark of reformation.”
He encouraged the graduates to become community changemakers and role models, while calling for increased public support for prison education programs.
Charles Ohiku, Provost of the West African College for Christian Missions, affiliated with Freedom University and Theological Seminary, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, USA, was represented by the college’s Registrar General, Prof. Olarenwaju Oluwasanu.
He applauded the graduates for their resilience and dedication to completing the rigorous four-year programme.
“This achievement is proof that personal transformation is possible — even behind bars,” he said.
