The Reception of Roman Stoicism in Nigerian Prison Reform Discourse: A Case Study in Ogun State

Stoic philosophy, with its emphasis on endurance of unjust circumstances, the development of inner freedom despite external constraint, and the moral equality of all rational beings, presents a philosophical resource with underexplored relevance to prison conditions and reform discourse. This study examines the reception and potential application of Roman Stoic philosophy (principally Epictetus, an enslaved Stoic) in discussions of prison reform and prisoner rehabilitation in Ogun State, South South Nigeria. A qualitative mixed-methods design was adopted, combining philosophical analysis of key Stoic texts with interviews conducted with twelve prison administrators, eight legal aid workers, and fifteen former prisoners in Abeokuta. The study also analysed published reports on Ogun State Correctional Service from 2018 to 2023. Findings reveal that the experiential dimensions of Stoic philosophy on endurance, dignity, and inner freedom resonate deeply with former prisoners' accounts of psychological survival strategies. Epictetus's concept of the prohairesis (the faculty of rational choice that remains free even in enslaved or imprisoned conditions) is identified as particularly relevant to rehabilitation frameworks. Prison administrators are largely unaware of philosophical rehabilitation programmes but express openness to them. The study concludes that Stoic philosophy offers a distinctive rehabilitation resource for Nigerian prisons and recommends pilot philosophical counselling programmes for Ogun State correctional facilities.

Keywords: Roman Stoicism, prison reform, Epictetus, Ogun State, rehabilitation philosophy