In a remarkable display of transformation through education, six inmates of the Umuahia Custodial Centre under the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) have graduated from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). Impressively, five of the graduates achieved Second Class Upper Division honours, underscoring their academic excellence despite challenging circumstances.
This inspiring development was revealed on Monday in Umuahia by Sarafina Nwokonnta, Chief Operations Officer of Vision Africa Radio, during a meeting hosted by Bishop Sunday Onuoha, President of Vision Africa, for members of the Abia State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Nwokonnta highlighted Vision Africa’s pivotal role in facilitating the academic journey of these inmates. The organisation provided funding for some of the inmates to write their West African Examinations Council (WAEC) O-level examinations within the correctional centre. This critical support enabled them to enroll at NOUN, where they excelled academically.
“We have six graduates today, and out of the six, five came out with Second Class Upper Division. They are thrilled about their achievements,” Nwokonnta said, adding that education empowers inmates to reform and reintegrate into society as responsible citizens after completing their sentences.
Bishop Sunday Onuoha, a Methodist Bishop and President of Vision Africa, commended the graduates’ efforts and Vision Africa’s commitment to transformative projects. He also used the occasion to voice concern over Nigeria’s rising cases of stampede-related deaths fueled by hunger and injustice.
Onuoha called for urgent interventions to alleviate the suffering of impoverished citizens, warning that unchecked hunger and unemployment could provoke extreme societal unrest.
The success of these six inmates underscores the potential for education to drive personal and societal change, offering hope for a brighter future within Nigeria’s correctional system.
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