By Olusegun Olanrewaju
“Shameless people. Showcasing and celebrating a (suspected) killer.” That was how a post by a social media buff, Bodunde Eyitayo, read last night on Facebook.

It was a damning outpouring of venom on the Nigeria Correctional Service authorities, for allowing a detainee alleged murderer of the late CEO of Super TV, Michael Ataga, to participate and win a beauty pageant.

Social media was abuzz yesterday when reports emerged that Chidinma Ojukwu, the former 300-level Mass Communication undergraduate of the University of Lagos, allegedly masterminded the killing of her lover on June 21, 2021, emerged the winner of a beauty competition organised by inmates.

Chidinma, who competed with other beautiful, awaiting-trial ladies, was crowned Miss Cell 2022 at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.

Spokesperson of Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), Francis Enobore, confirmed the news and attempted to justify the reason behind the beauty pageant.

He said the beauty pageant was part of the activities the correctional services facility uses to ensure that inmates are in ‘sound and good spirit.’

Enobore further stated that to ensure that inmates are in a high spirit, the correctional centres engage them in exciting competitions such as pageantry and cooking competitions, among others.

He added, “What happened is that, as part of our reformation and rehabilitation programme, and to also keep the inmates in a sound and good spirit, we organise several social engagements amongst them.

“Some could be recreational activities, some could be theatre work like entertainment. There are several programmes that we introduced to get the inmates happy and put them in a good frame of mind.

“First, we ensure that while they are there, they are open to correction. Second, we ensure that they are there in good spirits to help them kill boredom.”

According to him, “There are so many things we do. In line with this, the officer in charge of the Kirikiri correctional facility organised some competitions among the inmates, like cooking, tailoring, make-up, among others.

“These are things that will make them happy because our primary responsibility is to keep them safe and sound. That was what happened, and she emerged the best in the competition. It is part of what we do. The person in charge of the Kirikiri female prison has been doing marvellously well.”

Chidinma has been standing trial for the murder offence at the Lagos High Court, sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos.

Pictures of the pageant, held on March 8, 2022, have been flooding the social media since Wednesday, and have been sending ripples on the propriety or otherwise of allowing non-convicts such as the detainee participate in the event.

However, the prison’s Lagos State Command said the pageant was only one of several other activities organised to mark International Women’s Day (IWD).

Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), Rotimi Oladokun, said the pageant and all the other events were open to all female inmates, whether convicted or awaiting trial.

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Oladokun, a superintendent, said: “I haven’t seen the pictures you are talking about. But in line with International Women’s Day, the female custodial facilities commemorated International Women’s Day with inmates, various inmates without distinction or discrimination against anybody – an inmate is an inmate.

“All the inmates in different cell blocks presented various programmes. Some did theatre presentations, others, drama, some poetry, some beauty pageant, some drawings, paintings, comedy. So, various blocks won. It was just like an inter-cell block event.”

Referring to Chidinma, the spokesperson said, “The particular inmate, I don’t know her name. There were various winners. The costumes were made by the inmates in the facility, and some of the winners got sponsorship to pay for their UME forms, NECO, WASSCE, and higher education.

“Some donated libraries to us, apart from some other stationery, and welfare resources. It was not an individual event, so the prizes were collective.”