The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, said his visit to the Anambra Correctional Centre was aimed at encouraging inmates to take advantage of opportunities to better themselves through education and the acquisition of relevant skills. He made this statement on Friday after visiting the correctional facility in Amawbia.

During his interaction with the inmates, who expressed deep gratitude for the support, Obi urged them not to lose hope. He encouraged them to view their current circumstances as an opportunity for personal reform, renewal, and preparation to rejoin society as responsible citizens capable of contributing meaningfully to national development.

Drawing from real-life examples, Obi emphasized that imprisonment does not mark the end of a purposeful life. “History shows that confinement does not always mark the end of a meaningful life,” he said. “Nelson Mandela, jailed for 27 years, emerged to lead South Africa and inspire the world; Malcolm X transformed himself in prison into one of the most influential voices of the civil rights movement; Martha Stewart, after serving a prison sentence, rebuilt her brand and returned to the heights of global business; and Frank Abagnale, once imprisoned for fraud, went on to work with the FBI and became a respected security consultant. These lives remind us that with reform, education, and opportunity, confinement can give way to contribution.”

It will be recalled that inmates in correctional centres across the state had earlier sent an emissary to Mr. Obi, appealing for assistance due to their inability to pay NECO examination fees. In response, Obi gave an undertaking to NECO to allow the inmates to sit for the examinations, a commitment he has now fully honoured.

On the occasion, it was revealed that the total payment, covering NECO examination fees and logistics for all eligible candidates across the four correctional centres in Anambra State, amounted to N4,741,400.

Responding to the visit, the Deputy Controller of Corrections, DCC Innocent Amaechi, Officer-in-Charge of the Awka Custodial Centre, thanked Mr. Obi for the visit and the support. He assured him that the Nigerian Correctional Service remains receptive to initiatives that enhance the welfare, education, and rehabilitation of inmates in line with the institution’s corrective mandate. (The Sun)