On Tuesday, February 11, 2009, the 1st Pre-field/Prisons Visit Workshop of the ABSU Law Clinic held to prepare the clinicians for the session's Prisons Services Clinic.The keynote address was delivered by Mr. Sam Erugo, Coordinator of the Clinic and that set the tone for the workshop.The guest speaker, Elder Chris S. Ntewo, the Controller of Prisons, Abia State Command, Umuahia, delivered an incissive paper on the “The Nigeria Prison Service-its history, relevance and the ethics of visiting the Prisons”. Mr. Ndupu Azuka, Assistant Controller, Okigwe Prisons, also talked to the participants. They both pledged their support for the Prisons Services Clinic. The workshop was graced by the NULAI President, Professor Ernest Ojukwu, who also promised his support. Many clinical teachers and supervisors participated at the workshop including, Dr. Eze Ngwakwe, Dr. Sam Agu, Mr. Innocent Okoronye and Mr. Emeka Ezeogu. It was well attended by students. At the end of the highly interactive session, Dr. Eze Ngwakwe moved a vote of thanks to end the open session while the students went into group sessions to discuss the challenges of the prisons' visit in the light of the workshop. See here some of the participants at this historic workshop in pictures.....
Pic. 1: Special guest,Prof. Ojukwu, NULAI President, DDG/Head of Campus, Nigeria Law School, Enugu
Pic. 2 :Guest speaker, Elder Chris Ntewo, Controller of Prisons, Abia State Command
Pic 3: Mr. Ndupu Azuka, Assist. Controller, Okigwe Prisons addressing participants Picture 4, group(from L-R): N. Azuka, Prof. Ojukwu, Elder Ntewo, Sam Erugo, Chief Ijebuonwu & student clinicians.
Pic. 5:Sam Erugo delivering the keynote address, with Elder Ntewo watching
Pic. 5:Sam Erugo delivering the keynote address, with Elder Ntewo watching
Picture 6: Cross section of participating student
Picture 7, group:Dr. Agu, Emeka Ezeogu, Dr. Ngwakwe & the special guests
Pic. 8; guests inspecting the 15 consulting room Law clinic
You can ask for more!
Correction: Workshop held 11 February 2009.
ReplyDeleteHard copies of workshop papers available on demand.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS (Excerpts)
Introduction:
In the 2007/2008 session the ABSU Law Clinic established the prisons services clinic to solve the then pressing need to have live clients ……that experience has revealed the yearning need to improve our prisons’ service clinic ……..This workshop aims to equip the students and prepare them for the 2008/2009 prisons services session with ethical and professional skills and values in mind.
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this workshop, the students should:
1. be able to identify and list the rules of prison visits, interviews and Reporting;
2. be able to conduct such prison visits and interviews at Umuahia and Okigwe prisons.
3. be able to identify and list the legal needs of categories of inmates.
4. be able identify the available legal aid facilities presently available to the
inmates.
SCOPE
The scope of the students visit will be restricted to only Umuahia and Okigwe Prisons in Abia and Imo States respectively. Umuahia is the capital city of Abia State while Okigwe, though in Imo State is a semi urban town chosen principally because of its proximity to the clinic. Again, it could be that the factors of urban and rural settings as well as different states prisons and legal aid practices could affect the needs of inmates.
The scope of the work/enquiry at this stage is also limited to: Investigation/Research and Analysis.
METHODOLOGY
This is a pre-field workshop/seminar to support a research project methodology that is basically socio-legal in approach. Data is to be collected through interviews and observations during field work/visits by student-clinicians to the prisons. The prisons visits/field work preceded by this pre-field workshop/seminar shall be concluded with a post field seminar. So we are here for the first phase and expect to gather again to see how far our clinicians would succeed in the set objectives.
In setting the agenda we simply solicit that our speakers will guide us as we venture into the field-the prisons. You will agree with me that the guest speaker is the best person in Abia State to advise us on this challenge. His colleague from the Okigwe Prisons is versed too, but he is from Imo State though so close to us here as to qualify as our neighbour. Then, we are blessed today to have the father of CLE in Nigeria to witness this occasion (Prof. Ernest Ojukwu). Every word from him is an inspiration to all of us students. Gentlemen and ladies, what else can we expect. You are all welcome.
Sam Erugo
Coordinator, ABSU CLE