December 30, 2024
By Adedoja Adesoji
Segun Olowookere, a man who was sentenced to death at the age of 17 for allegedly stealing a fowl, has been released from prison after spending 14 years in detention.
Segun’s release was made possible by the clemency granted by the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, after his case gained widespread attention.
Actress Abiola Adebayo, who had been advocating for Segun’s release, shared the news in a video posted on Instagram.
In the video, Adebayo is seen celebrating with Segun and his parents as they leave the Kiri Kiri Correctional Centre in Lagos State.
“This is Segun Olowookere. We’re just leaving Kiri Kiri; he’s finally out of the correctional centre. Thank you so much for the love and support,” Adebayo said.
Segun, who was visibly emotional, thanked Nigerians for their support, saying, “Thank you, everybody. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.”
His parents, who had been separated from their only child for 14 years, were overjoyed to be reunited with him, and expressed their gratitude to Governor Adeleke for intervening in the case.
Adebayo also thanked the governor for his kindness, saying, “We just want him to be a better person, to be useful to society, Nigeria, Africa, and the whole world.” She appealed to Nigerians to support Segun as he reintegrates into society.
Segun’s story had earlier been shared on the Talk to B show, where his parents had described the chain of events that led to his conviction and the subsequent years of hardship.
His mother, Folashade, had lamented how the incident had shattered their family and how they had not experienced a joyful festive season since their son’s arrest.
With Segun’s release, the family can finally look forward to a joyful festive season together.
