My
name is The experience was significant to me: on the basis that my
participation in this project has helped shaped my ken about how inmates
live in custody, some are being tortured for offences they no nothing
about, and what the Nigerian justice system has done to handle the cases
of these detainees. Even as a student, I saw the need to be part of
this project and in my own little way assist in the strive for justice
through this means.
* Some underlying issues I observed however were:
1. Lack of funds to effectively administer justice to detainees who need it; As most lawyers today only work committedly to cases that involves monetary reward. It is difficult at times to get a legal practitioner who is willing to render free legal services.
2. Enthusiasm to work for justice in the country is low, as corruption is the order of the day.
3. I also observed that most of the detainees do not know their rights which made some of them to stay in prison longer than necessary.
* My participation influenced my perception: the understanding I had about lawyers before my engagement in the Nulai project was that, legal practitioners work purposely for the gain but I came to the knowledge that some of lawyers are actually in the interest of justice and they can go to any length legally to ensure justice is served. Furthermore my thought that all detainees are criminals changed because some of them are there for reason of circumstances and false accusations.
* What I've learnt from the experience: from the little the law clinic could do to help clients get justice without them paying a fee has thought me that I could offer pro bono representation without difficulty because I've practiced it even from my early stage in school. I've also learnt few tricks on how to handle the gap between the reality of the law and the theoretical aspect of the law from the needs of the society, especially in this country, Nigeria.
* How did the things I observed made me feel: Undoubtedly, it is not a thing of joy for me when I noticed that some of those detained were there not by reason of their crimes but because they had no understanding of their Rights. However I felt a sense of relief that Nulai and other teams are putting effort to help detainees out of prison through various means to make less the congestion in Nigeria prison.
Onoja Elizabeth Ochanya, law student from Nasarawa State
University, Keffi. My participation at the Nulai/Osiwa prison pre-trail
detention project has indeed exposed and thought me things I naturally
would not have learnt in class, things including my acquaintances with
how to conduct interview and counseling, how to fill prison visitation
form used to gather detainees information and more so, been exposed to
some court processes. So far I'll say the time, energy and commitment
put into the project is worth it.1. Lack of funds to effectively administer justice to detainees who need it; As most lawyers today only work committedly to cases that involves monetary reward. It is difficult at times to get a legal practitioner who is willing to render free legal services.
2. Enthusiasm to work for justice in the country is low, as corruption is the order of the day.
3. I also observed that most of the detainees do not know their rights which made some of them to stay in prison longer than necessary.
* My participation influenced my perception: the understanding I had about lawyers before my engagement in the Nulai project was that, legal practitioners work purposely for the gain but I came to the knowledge that some of lawyers are actually in the interest of justice and they can go to any length legally to ensure justice is served. Furthermore my thought that all detainees are criminals changed because some of them are there for reason of circumstances and false accusations.
* What I've learnt from the experience: from the little the law clinic could do to help clients get justice without them paying a fee has thought me that I could offer pro bono representation without difficulty because I've practiced it even from my early stage in school. I've also learnt few tricks on how to handle the gap between the reality of the law and the theoretical aspect of the law from the needs of the society, especially in this country, Nigeria.
* How did the things I observed made me feel: Undoubtedly, it is not a thing of joy for me when I noticed that some of those detained were there not by reason of their crimes but because they had no understanding of their Rights. However I felt a sense of relief that Nulai and other teams are putting effort to help detainees out of prison through various means to make less the congestion in Nigeria prison.
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