20 Years “A Prisoner!”

Archbishop Val Lives And Dines With Prisoners

The Archbishop of Onitsha Archdiocese and the Metropolitan See of the Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Most Reverend Dr Valerian Maduka Okeke, has the singular honour of being the number one prisoner in the Onitsha Correctional Center, for the past 20 years, and still counting.

He is serving a voluntary sentence with vigour, vitality and commitment that one might likely not know when the self-imposed penitentiary service will end. But the joy of this service is that it has never failed to offer succour, joy, upliftment and bountiful hope to the “lesser fellow inmates”, who clamour for the three times annual rituals of this very important personality’s performance.
Strong characters manifest through acts of consistency and perseverance, and the Archbishop has not been found wanting in these virtues over the last 20 years of his 21 years as an Archbishop, three times annually: every Easter, on his birthday, 20th October and every Christmas day.

These days are marked with serious pump and funfair, initiated with a Holy Mass, officiated by himself, assisted by a minimal list of 10 Reverend Fathers and dignitaries from all works of life.
This year, 2023, the first of the tripartite benevolence was celebrated on Easter Sunday, in line with his custom. His homilies, which often melt the heart came beckoning the larger society to ameliorate the sufferings of the inmates by showing them, love. He themed it “Nothing is impossible with God”. He prayed to them to hinge their hopes on Christ’s resurrection, which a lot of people do not believe in; that whatever condition you find yourself in, be strong and follow it with faith.

“If you have faith, you will see the glory of God in your life. The power of God will overwhelm your challenges. Remember, nothing happens as an accident in the presence of God. And whenever we celebrate Easter, we celebrate the victory of God”.
Archbishop Okeke explained a bit his reason for being “a prisoner” all these years: “They (inmates) need our prayers to become better citizens and our visits are meant to give them hope, encouragement is meant to inspire them for a better and greater future.”
He took the guests on a tour of the Skills Acquisition Centre he built and equipped for the inmates since 2018 but just securely fenced recently.

The delay was due to some bureaucratic bottlenecks.
The funfair took over after the Mass and photographs. However, one was amazed by the youthfulness of some of the inmates, especially the girls, that you wonder if these are up to 18. But the worries may not be far from the fact that most of these are awaiting trials, a process which is growing the numbers that ameliorating the pains. The figures show that the inmates are 1085 as of the 9th of April, 2023.

The males are 1025, while the females are 60. And only 85 of these males are convicted, while the females are just 6. A total of 939 males are still awaiting trials, while 54 of the females are facing the same fate.
In his vote of thanks, the Chaplain in charge of St. Maximilian Kolbe Chaplaincy Correctional Centre Onitsha, Rev. Fr. Bartholomew Okpalaugo, was full of praise for their father in faith, Archbishop Okeke, who “visits us personally, three times every year with loads of goodies as well as transforming our centre in some special ways.

We now take WAEC, and GCE among others. We develop our skills and even watch TV.
He was also thankful for the support from the dignitaries as well as his fellow priests, who have been showing some solidarity with them.
In his brief remark, the State Controller of Correctional Centres, Mr Patrick Chukwuemeka, immensely commended Archbishop Okeke for his visits to the Onitsha Correctional Centre, describing him as a father of the Center.

“I have served in almost all the States across the country, but I have not seen a Correctional Centre reformed like Onitsha.” You will recall that the Onitsha Correctional Centre was established in 1915.
He reprimanded the inmates that they can only reciprocate to the Archbishop on what he has done in the Center by applying his teachings in their lives and always praying for him. Little wonder, the Archbishop is called “Nna Ndi Nga!”#

By,
Philip Chukwunweike Balepo
Easter Sunday, 9th April, 2023.