Christmas: Obi, Archbishop Okeke admonish Onitsha Correctional Centre inmates not to despair

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By Alphonsus Nweze, Onitsha

The Presidential Candidate of Labour Party in the last general election, Mr Peter Obi and the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha
Archdiocese,Most Rev Dr Valerian Okeke, have asked inmates of Onitsha Correctional Centre not to despair over their present condition as God will restore them.

In his Homily at the Mass held at Correctional Centre to celebrate this year’s Christmas, the Archbishop said Jesus came to elevate and restore mankind.

“He came to elevate us because Jesus came to take the shape of man. Man was elevated to the status of God. We share in the light of God, His grace,love for those in darkness”, he said.

Archbishop Okeke who is the Grand Commander of Nigerian Correctional Centres given to him because of his commitment to improve the welfare of inmates said Jesus is the light of the world and each time light appears darkness disappears.

He said Jesus came to make us the sons of God which darkness cannot suppress, saying that those who engage in kidnapping, killing and other forms of vices in the society are agents of darkness.

The Archbishop said since the birth of Jesus Christ in fulfillment of the prophecies of men of God of old Christianity has continued to spread in leap and bounds.

“For the first 200 years the Apostles were persecuted and killed but the gospel continued to spread.It has become the largest family, government, spreading to every nook and crannies,” the Archbishop said.

He prayed that this season God would restore his people with “blessings, dignity,love in our families and generational blessings if they abide in him in love,” stressing: “people will confess God’s blessings upon you.”

Obi in his speech said “we all are inmates in one way or the other”, but expressed displeasure that most of the inmates are mainly of productive age of the country, who should be gainfully employed to create wealth.
He called on Nigerians to pray for God to change the heart of leaders of this country so that they can frontally address the socio-economic and political problems of this country.

Obi commended the Archbishop for his commitment to the welfare of the inmates, which makes him to visit the Correctional Centre thrice every year.

The Archbishop later announced that one cow was killed, while another life cow was donated to the inmates to be killed later. Ten bags of rice were cooked.

Other items include cake, toilet soaps,tooth paste, brushes, tissues which each of them would go round to each of the inmates.

Obi donated bags of rice, malt drinks and cash that would go round all the inmates so also Prof Obiora Okonkwo, who donated some bags of rice and tubers of yam to the inmates.