From Childhood Theft to Notorious Armed Robbery: The Early Years
Temitope Kolawole, a former armed robber now turned evangelist, has shared the remarkable details of his criminal past and spiritual transformation. Born in Ekiti State, Kolawole revealed that his descent into crime began at the tender age of seven, when he started stealing during his primary school years. His parents attempted various interventions, including seeking charms from traditional practitioners, but none proved effective in curbing his behavior.
The Prison System That Hardened Rather Than Reformed
Kolawole's first arrest occurred in 1986 when he was approximately seventeen years old. Following his initial conviction, he was sent to juvenile correctional facilities including Kakuri Borstal in Kaduna and Abeokuta juvenile prison. Rather than experiencing rehabilitation, Kolawole stated that these institutions served to harden his criminal tendencies. Most significantly, he learned how to use firearms while incarcerated, knowledge he would later apply upon his release in 1990 when he became a full-time armed robber.
The Unusual Role of Prayer in Criminal Operations
During his years as an active criminal, Kolawole operated with gangs of three to five individuals, targeting locations including churches and private homes primarily in Lagos and neighboring countries. What set him apart from his criminal associates was his reliance on prayer rather than traditional charms. "Whenever we wanted to go for an operation, I insisted that we prayed. Some of them relied on charms, but I did not," he explained.
This preference stemmed from childhood experiences where he witnessed the failure of charms his parents had sought on his behalf. Kolawole developed a personal conviction that prayer offered more reliable protection during dangerous criminal activities than traditional spiritual preparations used by many Nigerian criminals.
Repeated Incarceration and Prison Conditions
Over his criminal career, Kolawole was arrested and imprisoned twelve times, spending approximately twenty-five years and seven months behind bars. He offered a critical perspective on Nigerian correctional facilities, describing them as environments where inmates learn more criminal skills rather than experience genuine rehabilitation. He highlighted significant inequalities within the prison system, noting that wealthy inmates enjoyed private rooms and personal bodyguards while poorer prisoners suffered in overcrowded conditions with inadequate care.
The Turning Point: Spiritual Transformation in 2021
Kolawole's final arrest occurred in 2021 when he was caught attempting to steal from a community church. During this incident, he encountered a written message titled "One Day" that triggered an emotional and spiritual awakening. "As I read it, I started crying. I forgot about the operation completely," he recalled of the transformative moment on September 6, 2021.
After contacting the author of the message and praying together, Kolawole made a firm commitment to abandon his criminal lifestyle permanently. He has maintained since that day that he has not engaged in any theft or criminal activity, challenging anyone to prove otherwise.
New Life as an Evangelist and Advocate for Rehabilitation
Following his release, Kolawole embraced Christianity fully and began working as an independent evangelist. Though he holds no formal church position, he actively preaches the gospel and visits prisons to share his testimony with current inmates. His message emphasizes the possibility of genuine transformation and the importance of second chances for former offenders.
Kolawole has faced significant challenges reintegrating into society, noting that stigma against ex-convicts makes employment nearly impossible in Nigeria. He currently supports himself and his young son through menial jobs including washing clothes and fetching water. Reflecting on his survival, he believes divine mercy spared his life when many of his criminal associates met violent ends.
Broader Implications for Criminal Justice and Social Reintegration
Kolawole's story raises important questions about Nigeria's criminal justice and prison systems. His experience suggests that correctional facilities may sometimes function as schools for criminal advancement rather than centers for rehabilitation. Furthermore, his post-prison struggles highlight the societal barriers that prevent former offenders from successfully reintegrating into productive community life.
The former robber turned evangelist advocates for stronger support systems and greater emphasis on rehabilitation within Nigerian society. His journey from hardened criminal to spiritual messenger demonstrates the complex interplay between crime, spirituality, and redemption in contemporary Nigeria, offering both a cautionary tale and a message of hope for those caught in cycles of criminal behavior.
