- By Goodness Okoroafor
With the aim of harvesting the creativity of those behind bars, the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) will partner the creative industry and Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS). The move, which is in line with its mandate and renewed drive to encourage the use of copyright to grow the creative sector, according to its Director-General, Dr. John Asein, will promote creativity in correctional centres.
He disclosed this when he visited NCoS Controller-General (CG) Mr. Haliru Nababa.
Elaborating on the initiative, Asein said the commission had concluded plans to collaborate with agencies, practitioners and associations, such as the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) and the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), to facilitate the reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates through creative activities.
The drive, he said, will help keep the inmates engaged, inspire hope in them, help to develop positive life-changing attitudes and hone their life-effectiveness skills. In his words, “the programme will introduce inmates to new value systems and role models that would make them more mentally ready and less likely to become reoffenders after serving their terms.”
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Asein said aside strengthening the creative skills of inmates in various sectors, the Commission will promote reading by working with publishers and authors to donate books to correctional centres’ libraries, and collaborate with NPA and ANA to organise a creative writing competition with the aim of getting the best works from the competition published.
Nababa appreciated NCC’s efforts at encouraging creativity, describing the Commission as an indispensable gem in the country’s economic growth.
Represented by the Deputy Controller-General (DCG) in charge of Inmates Training and Productivity (ITP), Sylvester N. Nwakuche, he expressed optimism that the partnership would yield results and boost the redefined mandate of NCoS.
for the holistic reform, rehabilitation and reintegration of Inmates.
He noted that there are countless creatives in correctional facilities across the country that would benefit from the proposed partnership, adding that the NCoS has already put in place a Technical Team for the implementation of the partnership.