Against the backdrop of Abeokuta’s rich history and iconic Olumo Rock, Restorative Justice for Africa held its annual retreat from January 20^th – 21^st 2025, in this legendary town, whose name ‘under the rock’ echoes tales of brave warriors and fierce battles.

The retreat was filled with training sessions which helped our team members realign and reconnect with our vision and mission. We also took time to extensively discuss our strategies for 2025 to achieve greater social impact and a broader reach.

We had the opportunity to host two renowned experts in the justice space, Oluwafunke Adeoye, Executive Director of Hope Behind Bars Africa and Nelson Olanipekun., Team Lead of Citizens’ Gavel, who both shared invaluable insights on staying aligned to the mission, how to make purpose-driven impact and leveraging social media to build a robust online presence.

Our team had a wonderful excursion to Olumo Rock where we had the honour of learning about the strength of the Egba people who took refuge in the rocks during the time of war and used it to their advantage against their enemies. Our tour guide told us the fascinating story of a famous warrior, Lisabi Agbongbon Akala who led the Egba people to revolt against the crushing bondage placed upon them by the Dahomey Kingdom (now in present day Benin Republic). Lisabi is still remembered today by the Egba people and has a garden planted in his honour by the rock.  This story was truly inspiring!

The story of Abeokuta and its spectacular warriors further strengthened our resolve to continue our work in closing the justice gap and dismantling systems that perpetuate unjust incarcerations, prevents prison congestion and curbs re-offending in Nigeria and across Africa.

We are unwavering in our commitment to driving change this year, we invite you to join us to create lasting impact where it is needed most. Together, let’s make a difference!