THE REAL ONE’S AMONGST US
As the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria starts their national convention on Sunday, November 23, planning to raise issues that affect them as a citizen and a call on government to take action on their plights, the drums should seem loud in the ears of those at the helm of affairs that people with disabilities are also concerned about leadership and sustainable development in their society.
As part of their agitation, they will be intimating the federal government of Nigeria about the United Nations Convention on Rights of persons with Disabilities. It should be noted that the United Nations presented a white people calling on government of countries to respect the rights of people with disabilities, but this still remain a far cry from the government of Nigeria’s activities. Disabled people are still been marginalized in the society.Moreover, in some work places, people with disability are refused to take up non hazardous jobs to their health, and those that have these jobs amongst them are been threatened at work place. It’s quite displeasing that banks in Nigeria have not made passage into banks accessible for transactions by disabled people.Nevertheless, this association might be the mouth piece for the disabled people, it should not stop there, it is pertinent for them to intervene and alleviate the suffering of people with disabilities by agitating for the basic needs of people with disabilities in Nigeria. Education is prior, as such, the Nigerian government should be able to provide schools for the less privileged, it could be formal or informal education centre’s because that will be the sit of knowledge, consequently, we’ll start to see less privileged people pulling out of the streets and getting their brains working for them.
The truth about this is just that nobody is taking into cognizance the plight of the privileged people in Nigeria, and there are some development which can be tapped into by less privileged and disabled people; Associations should wake up, and reach out to private bodies which could complement them with their social responsibilities, with infrastructures that will impact knowledge into people with disabilities.Perhaps, the world will be a better place if we all can live in a society where the other man is not been deprived but given hope to and empowered.

Author: Oludotun Babayemi

I work on for profit or not - for - profit projects as a Project Planner, Grant Writer and Information Manager.11 years ago, I started Cloneshouse Nigeria, 10 years ago, I started Follow The Money, with a Colleague in 2012, a citizen-led movement that promotes social accountability in rural communities, which a year after, got registered legally as Connected Development [CODE]. In the past 7 years, I have evaluated projects on Water, Power, Education, Health, Disaster Risk in Nigeria, and West Africa countries with the United Nations and the Japan International Corporation Agency. Education and Fellowships include Stanford University, USA; Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; School of Data, Open Knowledge International, UK; USAID - Crisismappers. I Tweet @dotunbabayemi and am an email away at oludotunbabayemi@gmail.com

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