C’River Born Ex-beauty Queen Visits Suleja Prison, Clears Inmates Fines

In commemoration of her birthday,  former Miss Heritage Africa (2016) and Miss Heritage Nigeria (2015), Queen Ogbang Benedicta Akpana, yesterday visited the Nigeria Correctional Service, Suleja Custodian Centre to spread hope and inspiration to the inmates.

Queen Ogbang Benedicta Akpana

The beauty queen who donated items worth millions of Naira for the inmates and the two newborn babies also cleared the fines of all the five convicts who have remained in custody over their inability to pay their fines.

Speaking on why she decided to celebrate her birthday with the inmates,  the Queen said that she believes that every life matter and most of those in custody also deserves to be shown love and encouraged that there's still hope for them to become anything in life.

The actress and movie producer said, "speaking with these people and seeing the number of women who are held here really got me emotional.  For a moment, I imagined what they would have been if they were not here.  That someone is in prison doesn't mean that all hope is lost for them. Nelson Mandela,  even though his own was politically motivated, spent 27 years in prison and came out to become president. 

So, we decided to come here today to spread hope. To tell our brothers and sisters who are here that if life gives them a second chance,  they must make use of it and live it to the fullest.  We want them to understand that it is not over for them just because they're in prison.  Our God is a God of second chance, and we know that some of them would come out even stronger to fulfil their mandates in life. "

She called on well meaning Nigerians to also take out time to visit and support the less-priviledged in the society, adding that " we came here with the little we could afford; we've donated toiletries, provisions, food items and have cleared the fines of all the five inmates that have remained in custody because of their inability to pay. We wanted to do more, but only five were available, and from the experience from this visit, I want to be doing this much more often and not just on my birthday.

Some of these people don't need so much to be freed. It's just a little that we can squeeze out and still be okay. I appeal to wellmeaning Nigerians to show these sets of people in our society love. There are two newborn babies here. They need all our support and help. I understand the country is hard, but we can still do something to help,  no matter how little. "

The Head of the Correctional facility, Deputy Controller of Prisons, Ibrahim Ya'u thanked her for her generosity while assuring that all those whose fines have been paid will be taken to courts the next day to finalise the process of their release. 

"It is not everybody that has this kind of mindset of touching the lives of the less privileged people.  I want to thank Queen Benedicta because it is not easy, especially considering the times we are in. She did a lot of things for the inmates, and I want to urge other people to imbibe this spirit because it improves the inmates' ability to be reformed, " Ya'u said.