Ajadi Celebrates Birthday with Correctional Centre Inmates, Officially Releases CV
- As Guild of Professional Analysts of Nigeria present Ajadi plaque of honour
This year’s birthday celebration of the gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), for Ogun State, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo was with a difference.
It was done with inmates of the Ibara correctional centre, Abeokuta, and also marked Ajadi’s release of his official curriculum vitae (CV)
Other highlights of the event, included novelty football matches with cash gifts to all players of both teams, award of prizes for best behaved persons under custody in the male and female categories, and payment of fines guaranteeing release of three persons who had been there because they could not pay their fines.
The four inmates that he paid for to get their freedom are Dare Lawal, Damilola Opebi, Shina Oyebola, and Oluwasegun Ayobami.
Ajadi who told the persons in custody not to lose hope in life, advised them to rather respect the officials, the other individuals being held and to remember to be prayerful.
“I told myself that my birthday this year would not be complete if I do not come to celebrate with you and to share these few words of encouragement.
“It is a token of the love that I have for you, and indeed for all human beings, because it is God that created all of us.
“If I, a human being can remember you, then God remembers you, even in prison”, he admonished the persons under custody.
Ajadi who contested the last general election as Ogun State gubernatorial candidate for the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), told them never to feel there was no point keeping hope, neither thanking God.
“What we are praying for in our country, is for good leadership. Yes, you have made a mistake, but the conditions here can be better;
He told them not to see the presence at the correctional as an end to life, but a moment of sober reflection, to make them better citizens upon return to normal life.
Ajadi also cited former Nigerian president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former South African president, Nelson Mandela who though were in detention, later returned to life of better service to humanity.
He told them they had reasons to thank God, their present confinement notwithstanding.
“Let me give you one reason: There is a wise saying, that a living dog is better than a dead lion. And if you are alive today, you can be great tomorrow”, he said.
On why he chose to celebrate his birthday with those in custody at the correctional centre, he said:
“I told myself that my birthday this year would not be complete if I do not come to celebrate with you and to share these few words of encouragement.
“It is a token of the love that I have for you, and indeed for all human beings, because it is God that created all of us.
“What we are praying for in our country, is for good leadership. Yes, you have made a mistake, but the conditions here can be better;
“It should help to reform you, to be able to come back to the large society better, but if the conditions in the prisons are not conducive, then it has become punishment rather than reformation.
“So, I use this opportunity to call on the governments, to please, make the conditions of our prisons better.
“Not a place where inmates would be battling bed bugs and other terrible conditions. Let prison conditions be better”.
The Guild of Professional Analysts of Nigeria (GPAAN) which sent a team to see things for themselves first-hand eventually presented the celebrant with a plaque of honour, saying his philanthropic gestures spoke volumes.
The GPAAN team was led by its president, Mr Oyoze Baje.