The Role of Music Education in the Rehabilitation of Nigerian Prisoners. A Case Study of Enugu Prison in Nigeria.
Federal College Of Education Eha-Amufu, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
Music education can be defined as a process of training and study in the acquisition of skills and knowledge in music for effective functioning in the society. It has a greater impact to play in the life of a prisoner for effective participation in the society. It has been observed that prison that is meant for correctional, rehabilitation and transformation of prisoners have been shifted to mere punishment. There is a need to prepare prison inmates for life outside prison and to facilitate their integration to enable them contribute meaningfully to the be socio-economic development of their various societies. Efforts have been made to rehabilitate prisoners by providing them training in skills acquisition in trades such as carpentry, tailoring, woodwork, welding e.tc. Exploration of the contributions of music to the rehabilitation of prison inmates within and outside prison seems to be ignored in the rehabilitation process. With the acquisition of necessary skills in music life after prison will be easier and will make inmates to contribute meaningfully to the society after prison. Therefore, this paper investigates the roles music play and can play in the rehabilitation of prison inmates in Nigeria, using Enugu prison in Enugu State of Nigeria as a case study. It makes a proposition for a kind of semi-formal music education programme aimed at equipping inmates with musical skills for potential living outside prison.
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