I earned two degrees while in prison, says ex-inmate

A former inmate of the Nigeria Correctional Service in Enugu State, Mr Adenyi Theophilus, has said he earned a graduate and postgraduate degrees while in prison.

Adenyi told our correspondent in Enugu on Friday that he was sent to prison on awaiting trial in 2010 over a communal case he was not involved in but lumped in with others on trumped-up charge.

According to him, in March 2011, the then Controller of Prisons, Mustapha Attah, informed the inmates of the approval to establish a study centre of the National Open University of Nigeria in the prison.

We were surprised because we didn’t believe that there can be a university inside the prison. The CP encouraged those with O ’level results to enroll and that prisons would pay 50 per cent of the tuition fees.

“It wasn’t easy to raise money from prison to pay for the balance of the tuition fees and buy reading materials,” Adenyi said.

The inmate, from Nkanu East in Enugu State, added that the trauma of being in prison was enough to discourage him but with perseverance and hard work, he was able to conquer.


He said, “My motivation was that my destiny was in my hands and nobody can make me be whatever I want to become tomorrow apart from God. Another motivation was the fact that my O’level result will not give me a better job when I leave the prison.

“The staff of the correctional centre also helped the inmates with motivational talks especially the psychology department.”

He said in 2015, among the 25 inmates that registered, he was the only one that was able to complete his courses and graduate.

Adenyi said his plan was to graduate with first class grade but he was proud to finish with 2.1 in Peace, Conflict and Strategic Studies.

“The institution gave me an award with a sum of N50, 000 and that helped me to enroll for master’s immediately the same year.

“Presently I am through with master’s and on PhD programme in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka after leaving the prison,” he said.

According to him, on October 5, 2015, after five years and six months of awaiting trial, he was discharged, acquitted and not convicted.

He urged and advised inmates to enroll in the secondary and higher institution available in the centre.

“There are more to life, than smoking narcotics and exhibiting bad lifestyle because being in prison is not the end of life. I advise them to imbibe the habit of reading to acquire knowledge that will help them when they get out of prison. Today, instead of doing the wrong thing while in prison, I have written a book and three poems,” Adenyi stated.



https://punchng.com/i-earned-two-degrees-while-in-prison-says-ex-inmate/

Ftc

Congrats. May God revive you!

But seriously, I don't think they need a university degree, I think they shoud invest more on skill acquisition while they are doing their time. Once they are out, they could set up a workshop. I myself won't even employ an excon. Even in America that tag will render you jobless. Skill acquisition is the way to go.

Note: for those quoting me, we live in a discriminatry world. No one cares whether or not you've been Convicted, once the system has you,
you've been tagged for life. In job application forms or interviews, they don't ask if you've been Convicted, they ask IF YOU'VE BEEN EVER CHARGED WITH A CRIME. They don't wanna hear your explanations, all they wanna know is if you've been charged. You are not close to someone who has been through the system so you won't understand.

Happy for him. When reading I thought is Yankee ooo but thank God na our 9ja prison Enugu state

It is well with you

Wow

He has done well for himself

Prisoner

wow

All this single letter typers... wetin una gain

Nice one.

Great

Your determination to achieve success paved way.
Congratulations Mr Adenyi.

When you tell a Nigeria HR manager you're more than 25 years and you had your degrees in prison.

That's the way to go. The emphasis is: we all our custodians of our destiny and stars.

He deserves huge accolades

He does not write like someone who waa innocent. Congrats sha

n

This what I call self belief. You don't need anybody to motivate you.

He was eventually discharged and acquitted....
This country is sick..
Imagine so many people languishing in jail over issues they know nothing about.

U av to choose btw success and failure. Nobody will push u. Nice one

See Betta person, dem throw am stone and him turn am to grinding stone.v

Petrainvestment:
Happy for him. When reading I thought is Yankee ooo but thank God na our 9ja prison Enugu state

Same here dear, actually thought it happens in Western World.