Meet ex-inmates who turned a new leaf

‘I earn N150,000 monthly from shoemaking’ Another wrote Holy Qur’an, learned carpentry, now a family man I bagged B.Sc, M.sc, wrote 7 books, 157 songs’ NCoS will continue to reform lives of inmates – Spokesperson

The lives of many people incarcerated in various correctional centres in Nigeria have changed for the better, Daily Trust Saturday reports.

Locally made bags by Zakariya Dankade bags, depending on the patronage.

According to him, the price of a pair of handmade shoes ranges from N2,000 to N3,000, “while the bags go for between N700 and N2,500, depending on their size and quality.”

The ex-convict added that he also made money from amending and redesigning shoes and made good savings from the trade.

He said, “I set up this business with the support of my family members, who were happy with the skills I acquired while in the custodial centre.

“After my release, I told my father that I had acquired skills while in prison, so he bought a sewing machine and other equipment for me to set up this shop.”

Dankade said he engaged 11 apprentices, who he is training in bag and shoemaking. Most of them are women, both single and married.

“I am also teaching other youths in a training centre operated by one woman in our area. I was introduced to them by the woman. I visit the centre to train them free of charge,” the shoemaker said.

He, however, said he faced stigma from members of the society when he was first released from the prison.

“When I was first released, some people used to come to my house just to look at me as an ex-convict, or people would be pointing in my direction whenever I was passing on the street.

“But I was never deterred by their behaviours towards me; I just took it in good faith that it was part of my destiny. However, after I opened this shop, the same people started coming to the shop requesting me to train their children in shoemaking. But I accepted their children and have been teaching them free of charge because I didn’t pay a kobo to learn the trade too,” Dankade narrated.

Touched by the positive transformation of his life while serving his sentence, Dankade is now an advocate to youths on the need to shun social vices and embrace skills.

“An idle mind is a devil’s workshop. Most of the prison cases are robbery and rape. Those in prison were mostly influenced to engage in such vices by drugs. Parents must wake up to their responsibilities and train their children properly.”

Dankade said he wanted to further his education up to a degree level before he could settle down.

“I am also building my house and I want to complete it before getting married. Also, people should stop seeing prison as a place for just punishment but a place to get reformed. The government should also support skills acquisition training in prisons because you will find ex-convicts returning to prison. And after their release they find that they don’t have any business to do, so they easily go back to crime.

“The government should help smallscale business owners with equipment like sewing machines and other gadgets that will simplify their jobs. They have never received any assistance from the government,” he said.

I perfected my memorisation of the Qur’an, learned carpentry

Abdullahi Ibrahim, who spent over a decade in prison in Kano, said he had become a better person.

“Let us get it right; it is horrible to go to prison. I don’t wish anyone to be there. But then, one should always look positive wherever he finds himself,” he said.

Ibrahim, 45, said he found himself in prison after a minor scuffle that turned soar.

“I don’t want to recollect the circumstances that took me there. Alhamdu Lillah, I am back on my feet. However, while