Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has granted freedom to 53 convicts, including a young man sentenced to death a decade ago for stealing a fowl.
The move, announced on December 26, 2024, was part of a broader Christmas amnesty initiative aimed at promoting justice tempered with mercy.
This dramatic turn of events stems from a case that drew public outrage when details emerged of a young man, Segun Olowookere, who was sentenced to death at just 17 years old. His crime? Allegedly stealing a fowl. For ten years, Olowookere languished in prison, his life seemingly written off for an offence many considered trivial.
Olowookere’s co-convict, Sunday Morakinyo, also sentenced to death in the same case, was among those pardoned.
In a statement from the governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke described the pardons as a gesture of compassion and justice, marking the Christmas season.
“This decision reflects our commitment to upholding the principles of justice while recognizing the humanity of those who have served time for their mistakes,” the statement read.
The Governor’s action followed recommendations by the Osun State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, which highlighted cases that warranted intervention due to good conduct or exceptional circumstances.
Among the 53 pardoned, four were convicts on death row, 12 were inmates with simple offences, and others had their sentences reduced to time served.
The governor’s official letter of clemency detailed the rationale for the pardons. It acknowledged the prisoners’ good behavior and the substantial time already served. It also referenced constitutional provisions under Section 212 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers state governors to exercise prerogative of mercy.
Governor Adeleke noted that the decision to grant clemency was taken after thorough deliberations with the advisory council and was meant to mark the Christmas celebration with acts of goodwill.
“Now know ye therefore that I, Senator Ademola Jackson Adeleke, Governor of Osun State, in exercise of the power conferred on me, hereby extend my grace and mercy unto the said inmates,” the letter stated.
