Mercy Abire, once celebrated as one of Nigeria’s top long jumpers, is now redefining her life from an unexpected place: a US prison.
In a candid journal published on the website Prison Professors Talent, a website dedicated to preparing inmates for life after incarceration, Abire shares her journey of self-discovery, resilience, and newfound purpose.
Abire was sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release by the U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in the US in April.
Born on July 20, 1997, in Lagos, Nigeria, Mercy Abire grew up in a close-knit Christian family as the eldest of four children. Her father, a pastor, instilled in her strong values, but it was her natural athleticism that set her apart. By age 12, she was already making waves on the track, eventually earning a sports scholarship to Louisiana State University (LSU), where she excelled in long jump, recording a personal best of 6.52m.
However, Abire’s promising athletic career took a sharp turn when she was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which she deeply regrets.
“I was vulnerable and used but I have learned my lesson during this journey and I want to get the best out of me now,” she said.
Rather than letting her circumstances define her, Mercy Abire chose to view her prison sentence as an opportunity for transformation.
“Since I have been incarcerated, I discovered there is more I can do than sports,” Abire writes. “Sport has always been part of my life, but now I see that it was just one part of who I am. There’s so much more to me than being an athlete. I’ve learned new skills, made connections, and started dreaming bigger than I ever did before.”
While the confines of prison walls might have limited her physical freedom, they opened her mind to new possibilities. She has thrown herself into learning new skills, including sewing at Unicorn and leading an Afrobeat dance class for fellow inmates.
“I never had a skill before,” she admits. “But now, I’m pretty good with my hands. I teach dance too—Afrobeat dance—and it’s one of the highlights of my week. The energy, the rhythm—it makes me feel alive.”
But Mercy Abire’s ambitions extend far beyond the prison gates. In her journal, she outlines her plans to make a difference in the world once she regains her freedom. Her first mission is to establish an orphanage in Nigeria, a dream inspired by her deep love for children.
“I’ve always wanted to have an orphanage home because I love kids. I want homeless kids to know that they are loved, no matter the situation. I’ll make sure they go to school, learn creative skills, and understand that they have a future, that they matter.”
Her second goal is to launch a sports media and recruiting firm that will help African athletes like herself secure opportunities to study and compete in the United States. Having successfully recruited 10 athletes from Nigeria and Ghana to US universities during her time at LSU, Abire knows firsthand the challenges and rewards of such endeavors.
“Back home, it is so hard to go to school and also play sports; you have to pick one,” said. “I want to change that. I want to create opportunities for young athletes to pursue their dreams, both in education and sports. They shouldn’t have to choose.”
In addition to her business aspirations, Abire has been focusing on personal development. She is currently reading “What Color Is Your Parachute?” by Richard N. Bolles, a book that has challenged her to think beyond athletics.
“I’ve always been the type of person who doesn’t know her purpose, always focused on what to do and always scared to fail, so I stayed in a closed box,” she reflects. “I stuck with athletics because I thought that was the only thing I was called to do in this life. But now, I’m an open box, ready to learn new things, ready to embrace all the possibilities.”
Despite the hardships she faces, Abire remains undaunted. She’s honing her communication skills, working on proposals, and actively networking with other inmates who share her vision of creating a positive impact.
“I am working on staying positive during this journey so I can get the best out of me when I get out,” she writes, embodying a resilience that refuses to be dimmed by her circumstances. “Every day, I remind myself that this is not the end—this is just a chapter, and I’m the one writing the next one.”
