MISS UNICAL VISIT NIGERIA PRISON

The 2010/2011 Miss Unical who is now known as Her Majesty, Nkese Nikita Okon who recent emerged as Miss Niger Delta in her gesture has spent her Valentine’s day with the prisoner of Afukang prison located in suburb of Calabar south Local Government Area of Cross River State. This, according to her is “to enable us rob minds and heads together to ponder on why some of us are here, what are the problems that confront both the institution and the inmates, and to attempt to strategize on the way forward”.
Her majesty that went in company of other student was heartily welcomed by the Deputy Controller of Afukang Prison Mr. Igakoragha Sam alongside other prison officers as well as the inmates.
In his opening address, Elder E. B. Edeth who accompanied Her Majesty said that “we are here to show love and identify with our brothers and sisters today where many are marrying in the spirit of Saint Valentine”
In Her Majesty’s address, she told the prisoner that all hope is not lost as she is working on project that will assist mainly the prisoner hence some of them find themselves in the prison because of financial constrain to hire good lawyers and other issues beyond their control. In her word “let me tell us the inmates here present, and even those to come, that the prison is not the end of the road. Let me happily announce that I am set to build up a non-governmental organization, principally as a reform centre and where indigent (poor) litigants will surely be granted legal services”. Conclusively, she opined that “it is wildly believed that some of us are here because we could not afford competent legal counsel to plead our cases; very soon by God’s special grace, this factor will become history”.
In his response, the Deputy Controller thanked the Queen for her gesture, ability and good heart. He further noted that this is the first time he is seeing her Majesty visiting their Prison since decades he stated working in Nigeria Prison. He also expressed satisfaction in her majesty’s assurance of even including the officers in her programme as well as intermediary roles. He concluded that “we will expand as your goodness expand”
Series of prayers was said by a prison Officer Mr. I. O. Mba who is also a pastor alongside the inmates after her majesty presentation of many gifts to the inmate ranging from cartons of detergents, Azals, toiletries and Christian literature among other materials which the inmate gladly receive with thanks.
Responding on why the prison of 450 capacity is harboring up to 741 inmate of which only 76 were convicted, the Deputy Controller said that government is working assiduously to get the situation normalize by often charging the inmates who are not yet convicted to court, so as to reduce the population.
The rest of her majesty’s Val day was spent with her entourage (who are mostly Unical Students and Niger Delta representatives) in the spirit of merriment.