Today, we celebrate the birthday of the Founder of the Bonafide Advocator Initiative, Oluwatobi Adetona Esq., a passionate advocate whose life’s work has become a lifeline for justice-involved youth across Nigeria. On this special day, we reflect not only on her journey, but on the impact BOFAI has made in reforming juvenile justice, and the hope we continue to give children and young adults who have walked through the gates of correctional centers.
Since 2019, the Bonafide Advocator Initiative (BOFAI) has remained at the forefront of advocating for the rights and rehabilitation of young offenders. Our work is inspired by a painful but urgent truth: thousands of juveniles in correctional centers across Nigeria lack legal representation, access to education, and the support needed to reintegrate successfully into society.
As shared by our founder in a recent interview with Nigerian Tribune-One of Nigerian Leading Newspaper, reintegration remains one of the most difficult journeys for a formerly incarcerated youth. Upon leaving correctional centers, many face deep-rooted stigma, employment discrimination, educational roadblocks, homelessness, and substance abuse. The systemic lack of reentry structures means these youths are often released into the same vulnerable conditions that led to their incarceration in the first place.
Access Full interview here: https://tribuneonlineng.com/many-young-offenders-still-trapped-in-cycles-of-reoffending-adetona/amp/
At BOFAI, we believe that restorative justice and reentry support must go hand in hand. With effective monitoring, community partnerships, access to education, and empowerment opportunities, these young people can find purpose again, and many already have.
Another pillar of our advocacy is legal literacy. Our founder’s book, Law for the Layman, is aimed at bridging the wide gap in understanding of legal rights among everyday Nigerians. It simplifies the law to make it accessible, empowering individuals, especially youth, to seek redress and avoid entanglements with the justice system due to ignorance.
The current Nigerian juvenile justice system, sadly, lacks the rehabilitative infrastructure required to truly reform young offenders. Many minors remain behind bars for years simply because they have no one to represent them. As Ms Oluwatobi Adetona aptly put it during the interview, “Quick dispensation of justice and a shift from punishment to rehabilitation must become the focus of our system.
This year, we are excited to announce our partnership with the Hope for Children Left Behind Foundation, whose collaboration has expanded our mentorship program to children of Incarcerated parents.
We are also proud recipients of Sponsorship from LORI, which is helping us scale our Educational Welfare Program — a life-transforming initiative providing educational support, business empowerment, counselling, to Juveniles in Correctional centers. More information will be shared on the progress of these powerful collaborations.
BOFAI’s story has been one of consistent compassion, relentless advocacy, and measurable impact. One of our proudest achievements? Seeing a formerly incarcerated young man earn a scholarship to study abroad.
As we celebrate our founder’s Birth Anniversary today, we invite you to stand with us.
How can you do this?
- Support a child’s reintegration.
- Speak up for restorative justice.
- Partner with us to build a safer future.
BOFAI exists so that the Gospel of Attainable Social Justice is preached in every corner, and this Vision, birthed by Ms. Oluwatobi Adetona, stays at the heart of all activities at the Bonafide Advocator Initiative.
Read Full Interview here: https://tribuneonlineng.com/many-young-offenders-still-trapped-in-cycles-of-reoffending-adetona/amp/
