Man serving life jail gets bachelor’s degree in Nigeria

A middle aged man , Tuwanse Kabiru, serving life sentence, on Saturday, graduated with 4,308 students who bagged various degrees at the 3rd convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Lagos.

Kabiru, who came in company of the prison officials was awarded a Bachelors degree (BA) in Human Resource Management.  He told NAN on the side of the programme, that he was currently serving a life sentence at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons Lagos, after being found guilty of murder.
“I want to thank God for what he is doing in my life. I have always had hope in God and that is what inspired me to enroll. I was actually imprisoned after being found guilty of committing murder and I have served 11 years so far.
 “I am still hopeful that things will turnaround one day for the better having achieved what I have today,” he said.

Inmates at a prison study centre

The Assistant Controller-General Nigeria Prisons, Chuks Afejue, hailed the courage displayed by the graduating inmate, adding that he was the first to enrol and kick start academic activities at the prisons study centre.

According to Afejue, this will prove to people that the prison is not just a dumping ground for those who seem not to have any more hope.

“The prison is a place where reforms and rehabilitation take place. Currently, we have a total of 48 inmates who are enrolled in all the four major prisons study centres across the country.
“It is an exciting exercise and we want to seize this opportunity to plead with the Federal government to try and temper justice with mercy, having achieved this feat.

The Study Centre Director, Mr Ladan Babakodong, told NAN that two other inmates were to join Kabiru today to graduate but that they were unable to meet up the minimum graduation requirements.
He noted that research had shown that the performance of the inmates were better when compared to their counterparts outside because their only job while in the prison was reading.

“A lot more of the inmates are very eager to enroll but have no support. The only ones that are able to enroll are doing so, based on the support they get from NGOs.

“There are still many of them that are very qualified for enrollment but are constrained by cash. It is because of this challenge that the NOUN is giving 50 per cent discount to all inmates just to encourage them.

“I want to appeal for support from the general public to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of this category of people in our society.

Culled from "PM News Nigeria".