The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has revealed why he was at the Medium Security Custodial Centres, Kuje
The monarch denied reports in a section of the media that he was at the prison to visit former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
Speaking on behalf of the monarch on Wednesday, his spokesperson, Moses Olafare, said Oba Ogunwusi was at the correctional facility at the instance of a Non-Governmental Organisation, owned by one of his wives, Queen Temitope, Hopes Alive Initiative, HAI, which is on advocacy for the correction centre.
He said: “The intent of those spreading the news was to blackmail the monarch; there is nothing hidden about the event.
In any case, the king never met Emefiale because it was an official event organised by the NGO in conjunction with the Kuje Correction Centre.”
“The programme centres around giving hope to the inmate that, after serving out their terms, they still have hope to reintegrate back to the society. The Arole Ooni was invited to chair the event in commemoration of his eighth anniversary on the throne.
“What is exclusive about a public programme where different public figures spoke and representatives of the inmate also spoke? How then did the Ooni manage to meet Emefiele?
“We must be careful with how people spread falsehoods about people. The video of the event is available to the public. I am not even sure Emefiele attended the programme because he is only in detention and not an inmate yet, so why link the programme to Emefiele? It is simply to achieve blackmail, Olafare, told VANGUARD.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Centre, Assistant Superintendent of Corrections (ASC), Mr Samuel Duza, quoted Oba Ogunwusi as saying that his visit was necessitated by his empathy for humanity and his belief in giving a second chance to people to correct their mistakes.
He expressed joy over the warm reception accorded him and his wife on this special occasion, and urged inmates not to see their incarceration as the end of life, rather they should see it as an opportunity to turn a new leaf.
According to him, “I am here for the real people who need hope, your condition today will be history tomorrow, so don’t give up.”
The Ooni, who secured the release of five inmates through payment of their fines, admonished other inmates to be of good behavior, comport themselves in line with the rules of the custodial centre and forgive themselves.
Ogunwusi promised to support the inmates’ rehabilitation programmes by giving materials to aid their skills acquisition programme.
In her speech, the deputy convener, Hope Alive Initiative for Africa, Olori, Dr Temitope Ogunwusi, said that the visit was not only to celebrate the remarkable reign of his majesty but to reflect on societal issues.
According to her, “we are reminded of the power of forgiveness, redemption and second chance.”
She applauded the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the correctional service authorities for doing a great job in the reformation and reintegration of the inmates’.
