The Gombe Chapter of the faith-based organisation, Inter-Prison Fellowship International, has awarded certificates to 30 inmates at the Gombe Correctional Centre.
The award was given for the successful completion of a two-month rehabilitation programme focused on forgiveness, spiritual growth, and personal transformation.
The initiative combined spiritual guidance with psycho-social therapy, helping inmates explore the power of forgiveness over revenge, and the broader impact of crime on society.
Reconciliation and forgiveness
The programme was split into two key components: 15 inmates participated in the Sycamore Tree Project, which emphasised reconciliation and forgiveness, while another 15 engaged in The Prisoner’s Journey, a course rooted in living a Christ-centred life, even behind bars.
According to Mr. Habila Adamu, a member of the Gombe Chapter of Inter-Prison Fellowship International, the Sycamore Tree Project specifically targets inmates who may be consumed by thoughts of revenge, saying the goal is to promote healing through forgiveness, not just for the individual, but for the good of the larger society.
Mr. Adamu further noted that the training was designed to cultivate a ‘circle of forgiveness and love’ within the correctional facility.
He expressed hope that the values instilled during confinement would remain with the inmates after their release.
A significant part of the programme also focused on helping participants understand the ripple effects of crime on families, communities, and society as a whole.
Mr. Adamu urged the general public to embrace a life of forgiveness and to reflect deeply on the consequences of criminal behaviour, emphasising the importance of building a crime-free society from both inside and outside the prison walls.
”When you are about to commit crime, what comes to your mind? After committing the crime, what comes to your mind? And the effect of that crime it affects everyone around you. Not just you, but it affects the society, your community, your relations and everybody around you. So, we teach them not to even start or even think of committing crime,” Mr. Adamu said.
Mr. Adamu emphasised the importance of the Sycamore Tree Training, describing it as essential for fostering forgiveness and reconciliation within society.
He noted that the programme equipped individuals with the ability to forgive those who have wronged them, ultimately reducing societal friction.
Expand the training
According to him, there have been suggestions to expand the training beyond the prison system to the wider community.
He urged members of the public to support and collaborate with the project team to enable the broader implementation.
Highlighting current needed within the prison chapel, Mr. Adamu mentioned a shortage of Bibles and Hymn Books and the need for renovations to create a more conducive worship environment for the inmates.
Reverend Dr. Florence Yusuf Leke, a consultant with the Prison Fellowship International, further explained the essence of the Sycamore Tree Project, describing it as a transformative journey of forgiveness and repentance for prison inmates, many of whom feel hopeless about their futures.
“The Sycamore Tree represents restoration, a life-giving teaching rooted in the message of Jesus Christ. It speaks about forgiveness, love, and mutual care within the prison community, while also helping inmates deepen their understanding of Christ,” Dr. Leke said.
She also appealed to victims of crime to find it in their hearts to forgive those who have wronged them, drawing parallels with the example of Jesus Christ, who forgave those who crucified him, and Apostle Stephen, who prayed for his executioners even as he was being martyred.
During a sermon at the Gombe Correctional Centre Chapel, Elder Daniel Labilwa from ECWA Gospel Church, Gombe, urged inmates and visitors to take inspiration from the Lord Jesus Christ, Stephen, and the parable of the rich man who forgave his servant’s enormous debt.
However, Elder Labilwa issued a warning for everyone not to emulate the forgiven servant who, despite receiving mercy, went on to imprison another man who owed him a much smaller amount.
He emphasised that the inability to forgive others could result in God withholding His forgiveness, as expressed in the Lord’s Prayer.
Transformation in their lives
Some of the inmates expressed their gratitude to the Prison Ministry for the training they had received, sharing how it had brought about a transformation in their lives.
They said the training had led to a significant reduction in conflicts among them, and many had even found the strength to forgive those who were responsible for their imprisonment.
One inmate shared that he had initially planned to take revenge on those who caused his incarceration, but after being released on bail and later returned to custody, he saw it as a sign that God was calling him to accept His love through forgiveness.
He said he now intended, even from within confinement, to send messages to those responsible, letting them know he had forgiven them.
Lateefah Ibrahim
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