Onitsha Correctional Center To Be Used As Open Varsity Centre January…As Obi, Archbishop fete inmates

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

Arrangements have been perfected for Onitsha Correctional Centre to be used as centre for Open University come January next year sequel to its upliftment by the Open Air University personnel who on oversight of the facilities endorsed it as a centre sequel to its high standard of equipments.

The Chaplain of St Maximilian Kolbe Chaplaincy Onitsha, Rev.Fr. Bathlomeo Okpalugo, made this disclosure at the Correctional Center shortly after a special mass service conducted by the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, His Grace, Most Rev Dr Valerian Okeke with the inmates to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.

According to Okpalugo, the Open Air University officials on inspection of the facilities at the Onitsha Correctional Center, confirmed that none of the Correctional Centers in Nigeria has acquired the kind of structures that are in Onitsha center with the ultra modern skill acquisition structure built by the Archbishop.

“They confirmed that Onitsha Correctional Center is better than the one in Awka, state capital, where they normally go and take their external examinations, and affirmed that by next year, 2025 January, our inmates who are interested in open University will commence it here,” he stated.

Okpalugo who described education as the best thing that can happen to inmates, also added sports as the second important thing disclosing that they do all kinds of sporting activities that include, football, table tennis and Archbishop tournament which is done yearly, courtesy of the Archbishop with many sponsors.

He revealed that the Archbishop frequents the center, visits them three times in a year for their spiritual growth and reiterated the construction of the ultra modern skill acquisition centre as another unique one that will not be seen in other places.

Fr. Okpalugo recalled that because of the numerous achievements of the Archbishop to the Onitsha Correctional center, the Comptroller General of Prisons, installed Archbishop Okeke as the Grand Patron of all the Correctional Centers in Nigeria.

Earlier in his homily that preceded celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, Archbishop Okeke stated that no one would suppress the light which Jesus has brought to the world saying that it is the longest family, one family that has gone to every continent of the world.

“The coming of Jesus will make us the sons of God and the light which darkness will not surpress because we have been elevated through the human nature that has taken the structure of God”, he stated.

Archbishop Okeke prayed that the Christmas message which is the divine restoration would restore all the lost dignities and blessing He has for us if we live the life of love.

In his speech, the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi, who doled out #500 to each of the inmates, lamented that ” Seeing these youths here who are in their productive age is a painful thing”.

He advised the privileged and the leaders to care more for our society so that all can have a caring society.

Also a former gubernatorial candidate in the state and Chief Executive Officer, United Nigeria Airlines, Obiora Okonkwo, presented to the inmates tubers of yam and bags of rice for their Christmas celebration.

Highpoints of the event was the cutting of Christmas cake and gift items by the Archbishop, Peter Obi and Obiora Okonkwo like coolers of cooked rice with one slaughtered cow, bags of rice, tubers of yam, toiletries etc.