Oyo State Chess Association To Partner With Nigeria Correctional Centre

Oyo State Chess Association To Partner With Nigeria Correctional Centre

By Editor

The Oyo State Chess Association is set to collaborate with the Nigeria Correctional Service towards the development and engagement of inmates with the game of Chess.

The Association led by its chairman Iredele Ogunbayo paid a visit to the State headquarters yesterday May 13, 2022 to discuss how chess can impact the lives of inmates if they get involved in the game.

"The Oyo State Chess body has been working to make sure chess as a game goes round the state. We have organised chess amongst schools both primary and secondary, also organized the Ibadan Chess League, etc, so it is a privilege to collaborate with the Oyo State Correctional Centre", Iredele said.

"Activities like this will help the inmates a lot especially in their critical thinking and help them to stay focus."

The Controller General of the Oyo State Correctional Center, Agodi, Ailewon Noel was elated at the development while looking forward to the collaboration that will make the inmates to be more engaged. 

"Here in Agodi Correctional Centre, we do some little sports because the space we have is limited but we do go out. We play football and have vocational training as well, he said.

"We appreciate this type of collaboration. It's a step in the right direction because it will further make the inmate to be engaged. While inmates are engaged while in custody, it makes them to think less of imprisonment. It is only when you lock them up that they start to think about escaping but with sport engagement, they think less of it.

The Controller General believes that such activities will relief tension among inmates.

"The inmates will key into this. This will go a long way in relieving tension in our correctional centre. Any correctional center that inmates are not engage, there will tension, apprehension and tendency for inmates to escape and we don't pray for such to happen here.

Noel also thanked the Chess body for this innovation they are bringing on board.

"I also want to use this opportunity to say thank you to the Chess Association for your visit and we want to see more of it. Our responsibility as correctional centres is to look for people like you to come and assist inmate", he concluded.