Borno Inmate wins #1m, other prizes in chess competition

By Ladi Dapson, Maiduguri 
 
As part of an effort to reward hard-working inmates, one of the inmates serving a jail term has won # 1 Million in the maiden edition of the chess in prison championship organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
 
The programme’s first-ever Annual Chess in Prisons Championship, held on 10th December to coincide with International Human Rights Day, was held at Maiduguri Maximum Custodial Centre on Tuesday.
 
The chess competition brought together 42 qualifiers from the state medium and maximum correctional facilities to jostle for various categories of awards. 
 
Addressing the participants, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, described the event as one of its kind while urging the inmates to employ the knowledge from chess to think critically about the potentials they have within them.
 
While commending the UNODC, the Minister who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Barr Babatunde Ogundare, assured the inmates of improved infrastructures that will meet the standard of the Kuje correctional centre in Abuja.
 
“Therefore, let the essence of today go into your behaviour.”
 
“We are looking at replicating the standard of the Kuje Correctional Facility across all that we have in Nigeria. This is one of its kind. Correctional centres are not a prison home; rather, they are meant to build you to become a better person. Use this knowledge to evaluate your life; begin to think and discover that value you have that the world is yet to see,” he assured.
 
The Chairman of the House Committee on Reformation, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, expressed satisfaction with the UNODC initiative while announcing the #1 million support for the winner alongside other prizes by the organisers.
 
“I am pledging #1 million, which will be handed over to you immediately after you complete your remaining six months of prison,” he declared.
 
He also promised to forward all the challenges faced by the inmates to the house committee for immediate action. 
 
Also, the Guinness World Record Holder and Convener of Chess in Slum Africa, Tunde Onakoya, also announced the donation of #100,000 to the contestants who clinched the first, second, and third positions.
 
Earlier, Muchaneta Mundopa, the UNODC Project Coordinator for Prisons and Penal Reforms, noted that the aim of the project is to equip prisoners with critical life skills, improve their mental health, and provide a constructive outlet for their energy with a view to improving their reintegration prospects following release.
 
“In November, UNODC and Chess in Slums Africa collaborated to provide training to over 105 prisoners and correctional officers in Maiduguri. This effort culminated in a series of knockout chess sessions, setting the stage for a truly inspiring event.

She added that “the theme “Choose Your Character,” the event celebrated the values of personal growth and ethical behaviour. The competition saw both prisoners and officers vying for the prestigious title of “Chess Master,” showcasing not only their developing chess skills but also the program’s emphasis on building sportsmanship, fostering mutual respect, and promoting personal transformation within the custodial centres.”
 
She, however, added that following the inmate’s love for the game, about 200 prisoners have indicated interest in joining the chess club at Maiduguri Maximum Security Custodial Centre.
 
Meanwhile, the state governor Babagana Zulum, who was represented by the state Commissioner of Justice, Hauwa Abubakar, commended the exercise while noting that it will help the inmates to embrace genuine change. 
 
“We are glad that it is coming at this time. Our state has suffered years of insurgency attacks. While we have been focusing efforts on rehabilitating victims, this initiative from the UNODC will help inmates to identify the values within them, which will enable them to become a better version of themselves,” she noted.