By NewsBits
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Enugu Custodial Study Centre has convoked 23 graduates who completed various courses within four- or five-years duration. The graduates included: five Masters, one Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) and 17 first degree graduates.
Presenting the convoking graduates in the virtual convocation ceremony held at the Enugu Custodial Centre on Saturday, Mrs Jennifer Nwonyi, State Coordinator of NOUN Nigerian Correctional Service, noted that the graduates had defiled all odds to attain the great height.
Nwonyi applauded the Vice Chancellor of NOUN, Prof Femi Peters, and entire management of NOUN for inestimable support to the Enugu Custodial Study Centre in giving sound education coupled with outstanding reformation that comes with it to inmates.
“I am overwhelmed with joy that God granted these students grace to complete their studies and today are being convoked as bona fide graduates of NOUN. Thank God that these graduates overcame the psychological challenge of attending to the rigours of years of study while being held at the custodial centre.
“I say a big congratulations to our graduates and wish them all great advancement even as we have prepared them through the academy to face and overcome future challenges when they leave the custodial centre,” she said.
Speaking, Mr Sunday Oyakhire, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) in-charge of Enugu Maximum Custodial Centre, appreciated the Controller-General (C-G) of Corrections, Mr Haliru Nababa, for his personal interest and commitment to the educational reformation of inmates.
“We thank God Almighty for making today possible and the C-G of Corrections for providing all necessary support and a conducive environment for educational reforms of inmates.
“We also thank NOUN for providing facilitators and organisation for programmes in the centre as well as our staff attached to the centre for putting in high-level of diligence and hard work,” Oyakhire said.
In a remark, ASC Arinzechukwu Onovo, Desk Officer, NOUN Nigerian Correctional Service Enugu Centre, congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to continue to search for knowledge as “it is the key to unlock many potentials”.
Onovo lauded the Service, NOUN and the officer-in-chief of the custodial centre for all the support, encouragement and direction in making the study centre a huge success.
“The number of graduates convoking today is greater in number to what we had last year and we are grateful to God, the C-G of Corrections, Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, the officer-in-charge of the custodial centre and the staff of the centre for their immense contribution towards the success of this centre.
“We will continue to push and encourage more inmates to key into the free educational reformation and free-of-charge education for inmates provided by the Federal Government through the Nigerian Correctional Service in partnership with NOUN,” he said.
