24 imates graduate from Open university in Enugu

By Chinelo Kodilichukwu Enugu

Twenty four inmates of the Enugu Correctional Centre have graduated with different degrees from different disciplines from the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, Enugu Custodial Special Study Centre, for the 2023/2024 academic session.

In the same breathe, 24 others did their matriculation to study for the 2024/2025 academic year.

Speaking at the graduation/matriculation ceremony at the Enugu Custodial centre t the weekend, the Desk Officer in charge of the study centre, ASC1 Arinzechukwu Onovo expressed joy that the graduands were leaving the Centre reformed and re-oriented and implored employers of labour to engage them.

“You have overcome sickness, setbacks and other personal struggles to achieve this level of success. When I look at you, my esteemed scholars, I see employers and promising prospects,” he said and urged other inmates and the matriculating students to be of good behaviour and shun negative tendencies such as “drug abuse, cultism, theft, kidnapping, fraud and other malicious activities.”

Onovo said that at the inception of the special study centre, only 12 inmates were admitted for the 2011/2012 academic but that today, the Centre boasts of 261 students.

Urging other inmates to enroll in the programme to enhance their living when they leave the custodial centre, Onovo said that a former inmate who studied at the Study Centre now has a doctorate degree and is lecturing in one the Nigerian universities.

He pointed out that since inception, a total of 1,139 inmates registered for NECO, noting that, “this is the explanation for the exponential growth in our NOUN admission.”

The Enugu Controller of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Ncos, Mr. Nicholas Obiakor, in his address stressed the importance of education which he said was central to development.

Obiakor said that part of their mandate is to re-orient and re-integrate the inmates to become useful citizens when they leave the centre and urged other inmates to enroll for the programme.

“Our mandate is to re-orient and re-integrate the people and we can do this through education because without education, there will be no development. We cannot do with education.”

Stressing on the importance of education, he disclosed that they have produced doctorate degree holders since the study centre commenced and expressed joy that the Federal Government has abolished discrimination against certificates.

One of the graduands, Mr. Elvis who spoke on behalf of others, expressed joy that after 17 years in the Correctional Centre, he is now free and a proud graduate.

“I’ll never stop thanking the Controller for making it possible that those who the society rejected, today have been made good. Joy is flowing in my soul that 17 years of my life was not wasted but has become a glorious opportunity,” he said.