UNODC Hosts Maiden Chess in Prison Championship
An inmate at the Maiduguri Maximum Custodial Centre has emerged as the winner of ₦1 million in the first-ever Chess in Prison Championship, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The event, held on Tuesday, brought together 42 inmates from both medium and maximum correctional facilities across the state to compete for various awards.
The chess competition, designed to promote critical thinking and rehabilitation among inmates, took place within the premises of the correctional facility and featured intense gameplay in different categories.
Minister of Interior Encourages Inmates to Harness Their Potential
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, represented by his Senior Special Adviser, Babatunde Ogundare, highlighted the transformative power of chess. He urged the inmates to apply the strategic and critical thinking skills gained from the game to reflect on their lives and discover their untapped potential.
“This is one of its kind. A correctional center is not a punishment home; rather, it is meant to build you to become a better person,” the minister said. “Use this knowledge to evaluate your life, begin to think, and discover that value you have that the world is yet to see.”
He also emphasized that freedom is not the sole determinant of an individual’s worth, adding, “For those of us who are free outside, it does not mean that we are better than you. Let the essence of today go into your behavior.”
Promises of Infrastructure Improvements
The minister assured the inmates of ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure across correctional facilities nationwide. Highlighting the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja as a model, he stated, “We are looking at replicating the standard of the Kuje Correctional facility across all that we have in Nigeria.”
Financial Rewards and Support for Winners
The Chairman of the House Committee on Reformation, Chinedu Ogah, expressed his satisfaction with the initiative and announced a ₦1 million cash reward for the winner. Ogah pledged that the amount would be handed over to the inmate upon completing the remaining six months of their prison term.
“I am pledging ₦1 million, which will be handed over to you immediately after you complete your remaining six months in prison,” Ogah said, commending the UNODC for organizing the event.
Additionally, Tunde Onakoya, the Guinness World Record holder and convener of Chess in Slum Africa, announced a donation of ₦100,000 to the top three contestants. Onakoya praised the inmates’ efforts and reaffirmed the importance of such programs in fostering rehabilitation and personal growth among incarcerated individuals.
A New Approach to Rehabilitation
The Chess in Prison Championship marks a significant step in the Nigerian correctional system’s evolving approach to rehabilitation. By focusing on skill development, critical thinking, and constructive engagement, initiatives like this aim to prepare inmates for reintegration into society as better individuals.
The UNODC’s efforts and the support from stakeholders have inspired optimism about the potential of such programs to reshape correctional facilities’ role in personal transformation and societal reintegration.
The event has left a lasting impression on both participants and observers, symbolizing a broader commitment to reforming Nigeria’s correctional system and empowering inmates to harness their potential.
