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By Desmond Mgboh, Kano
• Members of the foundation at the Nigerian Correctional facility, Goron Dutse in Kano State
Valentine is for love and spending it with inmates and the sick is certainly one of the numerous fine ways to connect with those in the dark paths of life. That was exactly what a leading foundation and multi – purpose outfits in Kano, assigned to itself on the 14th of February, 2024.
Led by its president, the foundation splashed gifts and rekindled love and hope to these set of Nigerians passing through their lowest moments. At dawn with the breeze of love flourishing in the air, members of the foundation rather than recruit an eatery to cook, decided to themselves to the markets to fetch the condiments. The kitchen was done in hours and resulted in a huge pot of tasty rice that was wrapped inside hundreds of take –away plates. Other gift items packed for the love feast included a big cake, bags of pure water, detergents of different brands, plastics plates and cups, female sanitary pads among others.
The foundation train arrived at the Goron Dutse Correctional facilities at about 3: 00 pm and were ushered in, after due checks and clearance by the authorities of the facility soon after. …
The inmates were found in their scores, scattered across the field, engaged in one forms of activities or the other as the evening sun receding slowly. Some were playing football, others were running around while the elderly set sat by the shade of older building.
The arrival of the visitors snapped their attention even before they were addressed to all come under the shade to welcome their guests. The female inmates, numbering about fifty, were locked out in a separate apartment – away from the male ones- but were eventually informed of their guests.
The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Correctional Center, Musbanu Lawan Knass extended their gratitude on behalf of the inmates of the Service. He disclosed that they had over a thousand inmates in their facility, including those on awaiting trial, those held for minor offences and those unable pay their release money.
“ Some are here also for serious crimes and have a longer date to stay with us” he noted even as he appealed to the judiciary to speed up the cases of those on awaiting trial so as to ease the congestion of their facilities.
Inmate Pastor, Genesis Denis was deeply excited by the gesture and lauded the foundation for the care and support at a time, saying that gifts would serve as an encouragement to the inmates and a reminder that the world has not forgotten them.
“This tells us that despite our condition, there are people that truly care for us out there and are praying for us” he remarked. Inmate Imam, Abubakar Adakawa also prayed Allah to reward the foundation and its members for the love they lavished on them during the occasion” .
The President of the foundation, Adesuwa Ogechi Udo expressed profound joy at being given the opportunity to share the Valentine with the inmates, saying that Valentine enjoined all to locate the needy and show them true love.
She implored inmate to continue to pray to God, urging them to learn from their past mistakes and avoid returning to crime when eventually they are set free by the authorities. She pledged to take up the cases of a few inmates who could not pay their release fine, even as she made a special appearance at the female inmate facility where she listened to their stories and appreciated their conditions.
A day after the Valentine, the foundation moved its train to the Murtala Mohammed Specialists Hospital, Kano, where they shared the love of the season with patients on admission. They arrived at noon when the hospital was alive with activities and made their way to the Eclampsia Ward where they encouraged the sick pregnant women and prayed for them. They followed thereafter with a stop at the post Natal ward, where they were touched by the sick.
At the hospital, they also distributed items such as big rubber buckets, plates of take –away rice, sachet water, sanitary pads, detergents, Hypo to admitted patients in addition to paying for blood for a few of them who could not afford the cost.
An aged woman, who simply identified herself as Habiba expressed gratitude to the foundation for extending the some of N10,000 to enable her pay for blood for her sick daughter while Abubakar, whose wife was admitted at the Eclampsia Ward prayed Allah to reward the foundation with blessings. He implored the rich in the society to always remember the sick, saying that the sick need their prayers, care and support.
Speaking to Daily Sun after the dual occasions, the President of the foundation, Adesuwa Ogechi Udo expressed joy and a sense of deep fulfillment over the visits, insisting that the best way to go about Valentine is to demonstrate love.
“I celebrated this Valentine with the sick and the inmates of Gorun –Dutse correctional facility because I wanted to lift them up, to give them hope despite their present condition. What other way would have been better than this? I hope to repeat same next year. For me, Valentine is love and love is reaching out to those who need love” she stated.
