Although in London, no Olympics for Ibori

Although the rest of the world is catching the fun of the Olympic Games that opened on Friday in London, the story is different for former Delta State Governor, Jamess Ibori, who is in Prison Wandsworth in the elite city

With the sensation generated by the 2012 Olympic Games having practically engulfed London, it is a nice time to be in the city that is undoubtedly one of the world’s best. Whether you are a native or visitor, you are at present either making money or making fun – while some are indeed amassing both. Many who are thus currently watching the ‘Olympic London’ from a distance would love to be here if the opportunity comes to do so.

For former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, the story is curiously different. He is in London in flesh but

hardly in spirit. The man who wielded enormous political powers a few years ago eraned a 13-year imprisonment in April, at the climax of a twisting corruption case launched against him by a rather determined UK government. While the world is thus warm outside, it must very, very cold in his cell in Prison Wandsworth.

One may not really know how much love the former governor has for sports. But the fact is that under normal circumstances, someone like him would choose to be at the Olympics – for different reasons. As a politician, he might have decided not only to be at the games, but to also sponsor some people who might be useful for future political adventures. An investment like that is one of the hobbies of politicians like Ibori. Such a calculation is, however, never to be as the man is cooling off in Category B HM Prison Wandsworth, South West of London.

This line of thought about Ibori did not actually cross this correspondent’s mind until around 1 pm on Friday, when (journalist) and a London-based Nigerian, Kunmi Olugbodi, walked through the Borough of Wandsworth, on our way to the venue of one of the social events of the Olympics.

“Your governor is in there,” Olugbodi had said, pointing to the direction of the prison built in 1851.

And before one could ask which governor he was referring to, Olugbodi had mischievously added, “Or you want to say ‘Hello’ to him?”

The expensive joke dovetailed into a discussion on how many Nigerians in London felt when Ibori was jailed, and their fear that his story has hardly taught the typical Nigerian politician any lesson – based on the business-as-usual tales they hear from home.

Wandsworth prison is operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service and is the largest prison in London and one of the largest in western Europe. First known as Surrey House of Correction, it was designed according to the humane separate system principle with a number of corridors radiating from a central control point with each prisoner having toilet facilities. The toilets were subsequently removed to increase prison capacity and the prisoners had, according to an account, to engage in the purposefully humiliating process of ‘slopping out’ until 1996.

With a history tainted by tales of fowl games by some officials and inmates, Prison Wandsworth has undergone radical transformation. Today it contains eight wings on two units. The smaller unit, containing three wings, was originally designed for women but now houses the Vulnerable Prisoners Unit – primarily those convicted of sex offences.[citation needed’

Education and training courses are offered at Wandsworth, and are contracted from Kensington and Chelsea College. Facilities at the prison include two gyms and a sports hall. The large prison chaplaincy offers chaplains from the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, Mormon and Jehovah’s Witness faiths.

Although the establishment has an award winning in-cell radio station called ‘Radio Wanno’, it is doubtful if it has any major programme that can bridge the gap between the prisoners and the Olympic parks. Withough having access to the Olympic torch, therefore, one can imagine how clouded the mind of Ibori – and those of his co-sojourners in the wilderness of life – is likely to be at present.

Oblivious of what of what might be happening behind the bars, the Olmpic fever continued to spread in London on Friday. Afew rebelious minds have wondered aloud why the UK had to involve itself in the venture they consider as an economic suicide, but many see it as a matter of honour and a good investment for the future. Separate arrivals of US Presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney, and the country’s First Lady, Mitchelle Obama, have also heightened the political profile of the fiesta.

A good number of Nigerians are also catching fun. Trust the Naija spirit, many of them resident in London are trying to make an economic sense of the Olympics. They, for instance, form a good percentage of the business going on at the busy market on Woolich High Street. In Nigeria House at Straford, a lot of activity is going on. On Wednesday night, three Nigerian writers – Nnorom Azuonye, Ade Solanke and Diran Adebayo – read their works and answered questions at a programmed compered by Bubbles FM founder, Lookman Sanusi. The project, which will feature other writers on July 30 and 31, is powered by Bank of Industry and anchored by the Committee for Relevant Arts.

-Punch