It was my brother Tunde Okoya who invited me to the prison saying he was going on a fellowship
Police Station and I are not related, talk less of Prison, so my first inclination was to dodge
But I had lost contact with Tunde for over 20years and had just reconnected with him and didn’t want to annoy him so I went
The reception is austere, with grey walls and a Nigerian kinda environment in neatness if you get what I mean
We were processed and they gave us tags but warned us that if we lost the tags, we may not be able to come out again
Apparently, the tags differentiated us from the inmates
We were ushered into the prison courtyard in a file
The place was huge and very neat. The first thing you see is the huge football field and then you see the hospital donated by Pastor Adeboye and the beautiful Lawn tennis court and then the building that houses the bakery – donated by Tunde’s fellowship and then the church building where the service was to be held.
On the other side, you have the Catholic Church, the Nigerian Open University, the primary and secondary school and the tailoring institute donated by Pastor Tunde Adefarasin’s House on the Rock
We were not allowed to go near the inmates’ quarters but we could see the different blocks
The maximum Prison has a capacity for slightly over 1,000 but has officially over 2,000 inmates serving different sentences
What I learnt was that they have a recurring challenge – this means that some inmates once finished their sentences would commit and return
They also have a huge population of inmates in death row due to Governors relcluctance in signing the warrants
In fact, as we stood in the courtyard, one very rich-looking man walked past and I asked who he was and they said he was on death row.
I was taken to the music studio where I saw inmates making music and was also taken through the Classrooms of the Open University where I heard that some inmates were doing their master’s and others doctorate degrees
The highlight of the visit was meeting a former dancer in one of my plays.
He walked up to me and said Duke of Shomolu and I turned.
Didn’t recognise him but he explained himself. He was on Isale Eko and shortly after was in a fracas with his girlfriend and was convicted of rape and sentenced to life
I was weak. Such a young boy? I didn’t want to dig further as I didn’t want to be sucked in
Then I was introduced to the Pastor of the church and he was the young man who murdered his wife for cheating
The case made national headlines at the time as he was said to have slashed the banker’s wife in such a gruesome manner that we all screamed in fear.
He shook my hands and hugged me. He looked well, rested and handsome.
He was dark in complexion and was neatly dressed
He was sentenced to death but got commuted to life. He has served for over 15 years and is tired of fighting
He is a community leader in Prison by virtue of his position as Pastor and is involved in so many internal control measures
As we spoke, Francis Atuche the former MD of Bank PHB, walked past
I recognised him and ran to him. He recognised me and said Edgar and I hugged him.
He asked, ” When did u come, thinking I was a convict and I said, ” Ohhh no. I came on a visitation and he said ok.
How are u, I asked him and he said I’m fine and yes he looked it.
His skin was smooth and lithe and he looked well-fed
This was the general feel of most inmates. They all looked well-fed and neat.
The atmosphere was generally warm and joyous. You had a feeling that you were in one huge boarding school and not the dreaded Kiri Kiri maximum prison
I heard Evans the famous kidnapper, was there but came out at his own convenience to play lawn tennis.
I would have loved to meet him but was advised against it
I asked where my friend Dr Olaleye stayed and they pointed his quarters.
It was a warm visit as it changed my perception of prison and its features.
Barring the conditions of the living quarters which I wasn’t allowed to see, the Kiri Kiri maximum prison looked well run, neat and very accommodating.
You can try lodging there for a weekend
Give me a call
Kai
Duke of Shomolu
Last modified: April 2, 2026
