MY VALENTINE'S DAY AT IKOYI PRISON

Happy Valentine's Day Peeps! Hope you had a great day..mine was different in a nice way...

Earlier today I felt like Mrs Cupid, wore a pretty red dress, accessorised with pearls, wore high heeled shoes, a bouquet of red roses in hand and a heart full of love to share. I was in high spirits and in good company..scrub that..I was in fabulous company. How else do you describe a day of fun with inmates at Ikoyi Maximum Security Prison and celebrities such as Stella Damascus, Kaffy, Shan George, Midnight Crew, Niyola, Zeal, Jafextra, Sandra Ajayi, Lamboginny, Music Video Producer Akinola Bakare, AK One and many more who gave up their time to spread love in the most uncommon way to the most unlikely recipients..but you know what the greatest love is love given to those that seem most undeserving..

Amazing,Yinka Lawanson, the brain behind
'SAY NO TO CRIME PROJECT'.

It was a concert on the prison grounds organised by the Yinka Lawanson’s (AKA Lamboginny) ‘Say No To Crime Project’. The idea was to reach out in love through music to inmates many of whom have been awaiting trial for over 2 years along sides convicted criminals serving long and medium term prison sentences with the aim of reforming the inmates and spreading the gospel that ‘Crime Does Not Pay’, while giving the prisoners a love feast of performances by celebrities who turned out to give them the best Valentine’s day they had ever had...

I had taken 36 individually wrapped red roses which were given to chosen inmates as one by one celebrities where called to pick a ‘Valentine’ from the inmates gallery..Honestly,you need to have seen some of them..really cool looking dudes you would never believe they were in jail.

With a red rose in hand, Stella Damascus chose her inmate valentine. He was an older looking convicted inmate, who smiled and beamed from cheek to cheek as Stella encouraged him. I chose a Fulani costume wearing cute looking inmate (awaiting trial) gave him a rose and he  smiled like it was his first smile he was certainly too cute to be in jail. Sandra Ajayi’s inmate val (awaiting trial) was also a good looking stud. He was decked out in funky mufti he could have been your neighbour. While larger than life actress Shan George decided to choose 2 valentines, off she went with 2 roses in hand..First she picked a hooded inmate to which the Singer and MC, Jafextra commented “Dagrin lo mo” and then another inmate (awaiting trial), followed by Singers Niyola, Zeal and other celebrities who also picked their inmate valentines and gave them red roses too..

Stella Damascus was greeted with a huge applause as she spoke and advised the inmates, Shan George made the inmates roar with laughter as she gagged in pidgin english “ Na here all the husbands dey? I beg make una do quick come out oh make we see husband oh, it don tey when I dey find husband oh”.  While beautiful award winning dancer, Kaffy and her dance group did what they do best to the adoration of the inmates, prison officers and guests alike...I was completely blown away..Gospel band, Midnight Crew ministered with songs such as ‘ A ku ku se se momo’..Dance groups, fashion shows and more musical performances followed by various celebrities..as the inmates joyfully danced away.. It was such an amazing day packed with love and lots of fun..

Some of the inmates burst into tears.Maybe tears of regret,tears of joy or tears of hope..I really don’t know..All I know is that the inmates were sensitive to the message behind the show of love and if only one prisoner is reformed because of what happened today. Then my Valentine's day in prison would be so worth it and the work of Lamboginny’s ‘SAY NO TO CRIME PROJECT’ would be a roaring success.. 

A huge SeriouslyDoughnuts thumbs up to: Yinka Lawanson, Sandra Ajayi, Akinola Bakare (AK One), Jafextra and the rest of the Lamboginny team.


This was certainly my best Valentine's day ever! I dear say it was for all the inmates too.


*****PICTURES COMING SOON****

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PS: May I seize this opportunity to send all my love to my forever valentine and husby,Sean-O,  My Mr Cupid who loves me just the way I am and gives me room to be me..I love you Booo..12 years on you’re still the only one I love....:) 

Lots of love, Your Mrs.
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Checkout the All Stars Music Video 'Say No To Crime'

Featuring; Lara George, Slam, Mike Aremu, Rooftop MCs, Jaywon, Lamboginny, Hakym the dream, Jahbless, Praise, Jedi, Nikky Laoye, Sexy Steel, Kaffy, Jafextra, Gbenga Adenuga, Olamide, and Ay.com. Cameos from Nollywood include Yemi Solade, Racheal Oniga, Laide Bakare, Kunle Bantefa and also Fela Durotoye, among others