Two inmates, including an aide to former Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano at Awka Custodial Center, have graduated from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
While one graduated with a Post-Graduate Diploma (PGD) the second finished with a BSc degree.
The inmates -graduate are: Jude Onwuzulike, serving a life imprisonment, who bagged the PGD in Education, and Chukwuebuka Ikenwa, an aide to former Governor Obiano, who bagged a BSc. degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution.
Speaking during the certificate presentation Friday, Dr Scholastica Ezeribe, Director, NOUN, Awka Study Centre, expressed delight at the inmates’ enthusiasm towards academics.
Ezeribe, represented by a staff of NOUN, Dr Georgina Ogbonna, urged other inmates to utilise the free opportunity provided by the government to better their lots ahead of their freedom.
“We are here to honour our students for their academic achievements despite their condition.
“NOUN recognises the importance of education as an institution, which is why we have made a lot of sacrifices to ensure that the inmates in this centre benefit from the programme.
“Certain privileges have been provided, including making the programme almost free, to enable them pursue their academic dreams.
“We are proud of them and happy that they made full use of the opportunity,” she said.
Also speaking, Pat Chukwuemeka, Controller of Corrections, Anambra Command, thanked the managements of NCS and NOUN for the opportunity provided for inmates to improve themselves academically.
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Chukwuemeka, represented by his Deputy, Uba Solomon, urged other inmates to emulate the graduates.
He said: “We thank the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, for creating the enabling environment for the students. We are lucky here to have a leader who is passionate about education.
“We also appreciate NOUN for ensuring that willing inmates do not leave the prison the way they came into it. Most of them came in with primary school certificates and could not write their names.
“But today, they have not only been found worthy of learning and character, but they are now with higher qualifications
“We urge other inmates to emulate the graduates and key into this rare privilege because you have the opportunity of passing through a university without paying any fee,” he said.
Responding, Onwuzulike, one of the inmates, thanked the Custodial Center and NOUN for the opportunity to pursue his studies.
“When I came here, I thought it was only in advanced countries that schooling in prison existed.
“I came in here with only a certificate, but now I have three; and I’m ready to acquire another one before I leave here,’’ he said.
On his part, Ikenwa, the other graduate, said he studied peace and conflict resolutions to become a peace ambassador to the United Nations.
“When I look at the world and all the catastrophe happening around, I felt that studying peace-related courEse will help me cope within society.
“I challenge other inmates to study while in detention because it will help them a lot. It will make them forget the circumstances that brought them into this place.
“They will become focused, exposed, disciplined and prepared to be better citizens,” he said.
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