…distributes food items worth several millions of naira to inmates

By Francis Sadhere, Warri

Wife of the Delta state Governor and founder of 05 Initiative, Dame Edit Okowa on Sunday, celebrated her 60th birthday with inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Warri.

This is ahead of her birthday coming on June 1st, 2021, the governor’s wife also distributed items worth millions of naira to the inmates.

The items comprised bags of rice, onions, vegetable oil, sleeping foams, salt, two live cows and other essential cooking condiments.

She said the inmates were always in the minds of the people noting that they were never forgotten.

Dame Edith Okowa, who was represented by the wife of the Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Mrs Juliet Tidi, said she decided to celebrate her birthday with the inmate to remind them that the government cares.

She urged the inmates to not to give up hope but advised that their situation was not the end of the world.

She said, “We have not forgotten you. This is why we are here today to celebrate with you to give you a sense of belonging.

“You people should not see yourself as being forgotten by society. You people should see your predicament as an opportunity to have a change of attitude, a change of character and of course, for you to build your faith up and get closer to our lord Jesus in such a way that at the end of the day when your have finished serving your term, you will not just be useful to yourselves but you will be useful to the society too.

Deputy Comptroller of Nigerian Prisions Service, NCS, Warri, Delta State, Okonkwo Adimobia, commended the governor’s wife for the gesture.

Responding on behalf of the inmates, one of the inmates, thanked Dame Okowa for the gesture appealing to her to come to their aid as some of them have been on awaiting trial for over several years.

While expressing gratitude for the items she brought for them, the inmates said coming out of the facility was paramount to them. They stressed that they have turned a new leaf.

They also appealed to the Warri South Council Chairman to come to their aid and support their literacy programme with books and other learning facilities.

“We want to thank you for dimming it fit to come and celebrate with us today. Like Oliver Twist we are always asking for more. There are many of us who have been here in for several years.

“We have turned a new leaf and most of us are eager to go back into the society to help the government preach against crime in the society,” the inmates said.

Another one of the inmates used the opportunity to personally appeal to the chairman of the Warri South council area, Dr Michael Tidi, to help him pay his option of fine of over 200 thousand naira so that he can be set free.

Earlier, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Warri South Chapter, Triumph Etaoghene, prayed with the innate and urged them to follow the path of Christ.

He said only Christ can give them the freedom they need to survive any situation in life.