Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, in what appeared as a "a thank you visit" at the weekend, recounted his months of incarceration while in prison custody, and concluded that the experiences he gathered helped to finetune his mindset ahead of his governorship challenges.
Orji, who arrived the Nigerian Prisons Service (Medium), Kirikiri, Lagos, at about 2.50pm, where he was received by the Deputy Controller of Prisons (DCP), Hussain Muhammed, his deputy, Assistant Controller of Prison (ACP), Olatunji Agun and other prison staff, said his ordeal as a result of his incarceration helped to make him think and pray to God for the task ahead.
"I am here today with a sincerity of purpose. When I entered here, the reminiscents of when I was here flashed through my mind. Tears flowed my face as I saw those who were here before I came. The DCP, the staff and inmates all encouraged me that I would one day become the governor. It was here that I adequately prepared my mind for the job", Orji recalled, in an emotion-laden voice.
The governor, who apparently philosophical said "he was lonely and prayerful during the period" however, stated that "it was during this period that I was able to think and pray and God answered my prayers because all great men in the Bible passed through these same situation".
Orji was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of financial impropriety, having served as a member of former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu's cabinet as Chief of Staff.
But the governor, who said his incarceration was the handiwork of his detractors, assured the authorities of the prison service that he would continue to remember them, despite the fact that he was now on the otherside of the divide.
According to him, "As far as I am the governor of Abia State, I would continue to remember this community. I have started here and would still go to Umuahia, my hometown to do what I have in mind. Being in the prison is an experience which my detractors don't know about".
While decrying the state of prisons across the country, especially that of the Kirikiri prisons, Orji called on the Federal Government to expedite actions on the prisons reforms, which he said the Ministry of Internal Affairs should implement without further delay.
Said he: "The situation is very deplorable and I am calling on the Federal Government and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to expedite action on the prisons reforms and better the situation. As you can see, the prisons have good and dedicated staff. If they are under me, I would promote all of them".
Noting that the problems faced by some of the inmates was as a result of "man's inhumanity to man", Orji said "3/4 of the inmates here are all awaiting trial suspects and you ask: when would the trial begins".
He explained that such inmates, by the time the trials begin would have ended up serving what would have ended up being the number of years they would have served in prisons, had their trials being conclusive.
"It is no use dumping people here and not allowing them have a conclusive trial process. Freedom is a priceless gift and some of these inmates also want to go home one day", he said.
On what Abians should expect, Orji assured them that he "does not have any other business than to deliver democracy dividends to them", a situation he attributed was informed by his desire to impact on the lives of the masses.
Speaking earlier, the DCP of Kirikiri Prisons, Alhaji Hussain Muhammed had thanked the governor for remembering the prison community, despite the negative impressions being associated with the prison.
He called on the governor to assist the prisons as there were a lot of areas, which the prisons authority could not shoulder alone, due to its poor financial status.
"It is not far from the truth that he (Orji) knows our plight and we are calling on him to use his good office to assist us and that he should always remember us in his scheme of things", he added.
Highlight of the occasion was the donation of an ambulance Peugeot Expert vehicle donated by Orji for the use of conveying inmates to hospitals as the situation demands.
By Ndubuisi Ugah
This Day
Sunday, September 23, 2007
