The Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha Archdiocese, His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, celebrated his 64th birthday in Onitsha prisons, with some 700 inmates and officials of the prison, as well as Catholic faithful.
In his homily, the Archbishop urged the inmates to disabuse their minds that being in prison was the worst thing that could happen to anybody, since they still have opportunity of rising to a great height.
"Regard your stay here as a retreat to build your spiritual life and prepare for better tomorrow so that when you come out of prison, you will become great people," he said.
While challenging the prison inmates to put their faith in God and always pray and hope for better future, the cleric said "being in prison is not the last bus stop in life as many have been there and eventually come to great people."
Okeke further revealed that inmates of the prisons now have opportunity of taking West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE), and acquire skills that could sustain them in life.
Responding, the Chaplain for Onitsha Prison, Rev. Fr. Puis Nwankwo extolled the Archbishop for his display of love towards the inmates through various facilities he installed in the prisons, including water borehole, viewing and worship centres, as well as the ongoing skill acquisition centre building.
Items brought by the Archbishop for the prison inmates included eight bags of rice prepared with one cow, bags of rice, assorted cartons of biscuit and toiletries.
Prominent among the attendance at the event were Minister of Defence (Air force) Dan Chuka, Chief of Staff Government House, Awka, Joseph Asike who represented the state governor, Willie Obiano, PDP gubernatorial candidate for Nov.18 governorship election Oseloka Obaze, among others.
