The biblical admonition of visiting and feeding those in the prison came to the fore when the Nigerian Baptist Convention, NBC, visited Agodi Correctional Facility, Ibadan to feed all the inmates at the Centre.
The team led by the National President of the NBC, The Reverend Israel Àkànjí felicitated all the inmates and also gave them huge loaves of bread.
Reverend Akanji urged them to see the bread as a reminder of Jesus being the Bread of Life who could forgive them their sins and give them a new beginning.
He assured the inmates of God’s readiness to accept them as his sons and daughters once they depart from their old ways.
The cleric explained further that he chose to spend the day with the inmates to encourage them not to lose hope.
NBC President seized the occasion to call on governments to upgrade the facilities at the correctional centre which was built in 1894.
He, however, assured the inmates that the damaged roof of the chapel at the Centre would be reconstructed in September this year.
Welcoming the team, the Assistant Director at the Agodi Correctional Centre, Mr Samuel Ayodele, described the inmates as products of society through their background and peer pressure.
He stressed that people should stop stigmatizing ex-convicts but rather accept them back into society with love.
Mr Ayodele commended the Nigerian Baptist Convention for the initiative and urged other Nigerians to emulate such.
He added that the facility needed forty computer systems and a classroom within the premises for the take-off of a school to be managed by the Open University.
Radio Nigeria observed that the centre was well maintained while the inmates displayed some of their handwork including fans, bracelets, and necklaces for the people to buy.(FRCN)
