Control your temper in face of provocation

By Esther Onyegbula

Hon Lola Akande, the Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has advised women to control their temper and guide their utterances in the face of any provocation in order not to be found on the wrong side of the law. She gave this advice recently while addressing inmates of Female Section, Kirikiri Prison during an assessment tour of the prison, noting that, unguided action taken on the spur of the moment in anger usually ends in regrets.

From L-R: Hon Lola Akande, the Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, an inmate who presented a beautiful neck bead to the Commissioner and the Deputy Controller of Prisons in charge of the female prison, Mrs. Ekpendu M. Lizzie

She added that, it is ideal for all to learn to restrain oneself from indulging in any acts of violence whenever there is a disagreement. She urged inmates to make judicious use of their time in prison by learning skills or vocations that would be useful in earning a living and be self-employed instead of depending on others after their prison terms. While reacting to their plea for a State pardon, Akande promised to look into their request and discuss with appropriate authorities for assistance.

The Commissioner commended the Deputy Controller of Prisons in charge of the female prison, Mrs. Ekpendu M. Lizzie, whom she described as a mother, for bringing so much transformation to the prison and the lives of the inmates. Earlier, Mrs. Lizzie Ekpendu appreciated the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for its support for the needs of the prisons service in general and particularly in the area of providing teaching materials for Skill Acquisition Programmes for the inmates.

She, however, appealed to the Commissioner to use her good Offices to assist them with the provision of transportation for the movement of inmates to and from courts as well as an ambulance for inmates who require medical services. According to Ekpendu, “we need an ambulance; my chief is finding things quite difficult when it comes to taking inmates to the hospital especially at night. We desperately need an ambulance”’.