The adage that when in life you get lemons thrown at you, you make lemon juice out of them is a great application for everyday life challenges. I love a localised parallel saying I recently came across, which says that when you get peppers thrown at you, you make pepper soup with them. What a vivid way of encouragement, I thought.
Both maxims are pregnant with meaning, very wise pieces of advice which could be easily applied to the case of the 63 prisoners from the Nsawam prisons who last week graduated from the University of Cape Coast (UCC). One of them, according to reports, was named a valedictorian while two others received special scholarships to further their education for their exemplary performance in their studies.
Academic degrees
At some point in their lives, when they were thrown into prison, some of them may have wondered if life was really worth living for. They must have lost hope after the pronouncement of guilt was slapped on them as they were led to the vehicles that were to take them to Nsawam. Their families and friends may have shed a tear or two, just as they may have done.
Last week, they found themselves on the other side. Life must have seemed good with their sun shining brighter than ever before as they went to receive academic honours, the type earned under extreme circumstances and conditions – overcrowded, hot and squashed prison cells.
Reports in the media have it that all the 63 inmates, received degrees varying from Bachelor of Science in Commerce with Accounting and Management options and Bachelor of Arts in Education. They were all awarded certificates through UCC’s Distance Education (CoDE).
I doff my hat off for the progressive stance of the Ghana Prisons Service in giving its inmates a life-long opportunity of higher education which may have eluded some of them even in their lives outside prison. That is why I am giving credit where credit is due.
Forward looking
As one read the news about this forward looking initiative at the Nsawam Prisons, the wise saying, “never say die until the bones are rotten” also spoke out colourfully.
By all standards the fantastic example of the 63 prison inmates gives credence to what a can-do spirit and a positive approach to life can do in life. brooding over misfortunes and giving way to worry and negative thoughts would not yield anything.
Incarcerated for years and confined with no or little access to family and friends, the zealous 63 never gave up hope. They saw some light at the end of the tunnel and did not resign to their fate.
They decided to make pepper soup out of the hot peppers that were thrown at them. With the soup now cooked, they are going to enjoy the sweet aroma and delicious pepper soups they have in their bowls. They have degrees that are likely to change their destinies one day outside prison.
Trade
In times past, the minds of inmates at the prisons were focused on learning a trade for their rehabilitation in communities. Some even took to the priesthood and became priests and gospel singers. These occupations helped them reintegrate seamlessly into society on their release. The good example of the 63 is likely to escalate the hopes of many more inmates to go beyond the acquisition of simple skills and launch into higher academic pursuits as well.
Some years ago, when I started writing this Column, I had the opportunity to visit the Women’s wing of the Nsawam prisons to interview a 60-year-old woman who was then thrown into jail at age 40 without trial. She was allegedly accused of murdering her husband, who incidentally collapsed in the bathroom.
She knew no one who at the time could assist her to get her case reviewed or reconsidered. She resigned to her fate and meanwhile made use of her time in what she referred to then as her new home.
She learnt baking in prison and served as a matron, in charge of the prison’s bakery. She ended up training many other female prisoners who baked the bread and pastries they served in the prison. She also supervised the younger female inmates giving them daily assignments including cooking, serving their meals as well as cleaning.
Definitely, the prison authorities are doing a yeoman’s job, ensuring that inmates get themselves busy while in there, learning or imparting knowledge to others for their future rehabilitation. It has become obvious with time that the gradual progression of the authority’s efforts to assists inmates to better themselves is paying off, preparing the way for their easy integration on release from prison.
Good news
The good news, thanks to a non-governmental organisation (NGO) called Plan Volta Foundation is in partnership with the Ghana Prisons Service, and they are providing individual inmates with free access to higher education to enable them to pursue university degrees while serving their sentences.
Such assistance is most appreciated. Their encouragement to make many more inmates benefit from education for life and come out of prison not as victims but as rehabilitated, useful community members is a noble cause.
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The writer can be contacted via email a [email protected]
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