The Prison Ministry

Overview

The Prison Ministry is dedicated to outreach, rehabilitation, spiritual support, and practical empowerment within the Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Facility. On a monthly basis, members of the ministry visit the correctional centre to share the Word of God, provide encouragement, and minister hope, healing, and restoration to inmates through teaching, counselling, prayers, and fellowship sessions. The ministry is driven by the belief that every individual, regardless of their circumstances, deserves dignity, compassion, and an opportunity for transformation.

Beyond spiritual outreach, the ministry also oversees the management and sustainability of the “Bread of Life” Bakery, a vocational and empowerment initiative established by The Hour of Liberty Ministries within the correctional facility. The bakery serves as a platform for skill acquisition, productivity, and rehabilitation, helping inmates develop practical skills and a sense of purpose that can support reintegration into society upon release.

In addition, the ministry provides pro bono legal support to indigent inmates who are unable to afford legal representation, thereby promoting access to justice and supporting efforts toward fair hearing, legal assistance, and prison decongestion.

How It Started

The Prison Ministry began around 2014/2015 through outreach visits by members of the Hour of Liberty under the leadership of Pastor Oluwakemi Onalaja to the Kirikiri Correctional Facility, inspired by the biblical instruction: “I was in prison and you visited me.” The ministry initially focused on sharing the Word of God, offering prayers and encouragement, and providing relief materials such as food items, medicines, sanitary supplies, and eyeglasses to inmates. Over time, the vision evolved from temporary relief to long-term empowerment, leading to the establishment of the “Bread of Life” Bakery in partnership with the correctional facility to provide vocational skills and rehabilitation opportunities for inmates.

Where We Are Now

The Prison Ministry continues to carry out monthly outreach visits to the Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Facility, where inmates are ministered to through the teaching of the Word of God, counselling, prayers, and encouragement. Through these consistent engagements, the ministry has impacted and transformed numerous lives spiritually and emotionally.

The “Bread of Life” Bakery, established within the facility, remains operational and continues to serve as a vocational rehabilitation platform for inmates. To date, over 200 inmates have been trained through the bakery programme, with trainees admitted in batches and equipped with practical baking skills over a six-month training period.

In addition, the ministry has provided pro bono legal representation to indigent inmates, leading to several inmates regaining their freedom, while some matters remain ongoing before the courts.

Future Vision

The vision of the Prison Ministry is to continue spreading the Word of God and providing hope, support, and rehabilitation to inmates across correctional facilities. A major aspect of this vision is the expansion of the “Bread of Life” Bakery initiative beyond the Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Facility to other correctional centres within Lagos, including the Medium Security, Female, Ikoyi, and Badagry correctional facilities, and ultimately to neighboring states. Through this expansion, the ministry hopes to empower more inmates with vocational skills, support reintegration, and create lasting opportunities for transformation and self-sufficiency.