Chinedum Treasure
Arrangements have been perfected for Onitsha Correctional Centre to be used as centre for Open University come January next year, Chaplain of St Maximilian Kolbe Chaplaincy Onitsha, Rev Fr. Bathlomeo Okpalugo has said.
Okpalugo dropped the hint at the Correctional Centre shortly after a special Concelebrated Mass by the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, His Grace, Most Rev Dr Valerian Okeke with the inmates to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
He said the decision followed the Centre’s 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.
According to Fr. Okpalugo, the Open Air University officials on inspection of the facilities at the Onitsha Correctional Centre, confirmed that none of the Correctional Centres in Nigeria has acquired the kind of structures that are in Onitsha centre with the ultra modern skill acquisition structure built by the Archbishop.
“They confirmed that Onitsha Correctional Centre 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 said.
Described education as the best thing that can happen to inmates, with sports as the second important thing, Okpalugo noted 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 said that the Archbishop frequents the centre, 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 noted that because of the numerous achievements of the Archbishop Okeke to the Onitsha Correctional centre, the Comptroller General of Prisons, installed him as the Grand Patron of all the Correctional Centres in Nigeria.
Earlier in his homily that preceded celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, Archbishop Okeke said 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 added.
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.
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