Mimi Adzape-Orubibi marks 50th Birthday with life-changing outreach to Gboko inmates

By Benedicta Aboh

In a deeply touching celebration of her 50th birthday, former Chairman of the Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Chief Mimi Adzape-Orubibi, took her thanksgiving to the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Gboko, transforming the day into one of compassion, healing and hope for inmates.

The celebrant sponsored life-saving hernia surgeries for 10 inmates, even as a thanksgiving mass was held within the facility. She further donated a 5,000-litre JP water tank to address the centre’s persistent water scarcity, promising additional support, including sewing machines and computers to strengthen the facility’s skills-training programmes and help inmates become self-reliant after their release.

Chief Mimi said her charitable gesture follows the example of her late mother, who was known for visiting prisons to share what she had with the less privileged.

She pledged to continue footing medical bills for inmates, not only for hernia operations but for other ailments as well, praying that none would be struck by life-threatening illnesses.

She commended the Officer-in-Charge of the Centre, Assistant Comptroller of Prisons, Barr. Moses Ikya, for maintaining a clean, humane and well-managed environment, noting that inmates looked healthy, neat and well cared for.

In his remarks, ACP Ikya expressed gratitude to the celebrant for choosing to mark her golden jubilee with the inmates. While applauding her sustained support, he appealed to other well-meaning individuals to assist the facility, particularly in the areas of skills acquisition, health care, and registration of inmates for SSCE and NABTEB examinations.

Earlier, the Chaplain of the Centre, Rev. Fr. Isaiah Ter, urged inmates to seek God’s forgiveness through sincere repentance and positive actions, reminding them-through the story of Zacchaeus-that no sin is beyond God’s mercy. He encouraged them to embrace determination, courage and remorse in their journey toward transformation.

The celebration featured a Holy Mass, cake cutting, donation of items, and a compassionate visit to St. John’s Hospital, Gboko, where the sponsored surgeries were being carried out.