OSIWA/NULAI Learning and Reflections by YAHYA Shakirat
Omolola from Ilorin Law Clinic
Scaling through all the screening requirements and joining
the Legal Aid Clinic of my faculty was one of the highlights of my year two as
a law student. Now I'm in year four, and I'm glad I made that decision two years
ago.
The OSIWA/NULAI project has helped me familiarise myself with
a lot about the procedural aspect of law. It has got me acquainted with quite a
number of things I might eventually end up doing as a lawyer and I'm
essentially grateful for that.
For me, the prison visits are the greatest source of
reflection, from not only the legal, but also the social and indeed spiritual
perspective. While I learnt in practical terms the rubrics of client counselling,
I couldn't resist the humanity that was compellingly displayed in being looked
at with so much hope by the inmates I interviewed like I was some sort of
saviour. A soft part of my heart did move from its core because of that,
although I did my best to appear professional rather than emotional, I became
certain more than ever before by that experience that being a lawyer was a potentially noble path
to tow provided one is true and law-abiding.
The project has also given me an insight into the practical
difficulties associated with the Nigerian Criminal Justice System such as delay
in obtaining DPP's advice as well as improper record keeping in the courts which
oftentimes lead to unwholesome and avoidable delays. The problem of adequate
facilities and structures are also one to contend with.
One experience that irked me so much, and still continues to
irk me even as I write this report was a day I was scheduled with a few other
clinicians to appear in court in order to follow up on certain cases. To our
utmost chagrin, there was no space in the court to sit as the court was extremely
small and just as extremely full! We also had challenges in tracing some cases that
day with the court clerks. Despite that, the challenge was overcome eventually
as we were later able to enter the court.
The prisons in Ilorin - Okekura and Mandala prisons- I must
say are doing their best within the limited facilities available to them. The inmates
seem to be in the best possible condition achievable with the facilities, and
the environments look neat and well tidied up. The inmates are also being made
to do some physical work such as cutting grass as well as making hand fans for
sale. This I believe is a very essential avenue for ensuring that boredom is kept
at bay and the inmates are allowed to feel productive.
I however believe more can be done to put our prisons in
more wholesome conditions such as provision of good mattresses,etc for the
benefit of the inmates.
Yahya Shakirat Omolola
Ilorin Law Clinic.
Comments
Post a Comment