Hassan Shu’aibu is a farmer with leprosy from Jos North local government area of Plateau state. He is married to two wives with ten children.
He got infected with leprosy when he was in his teen age and received cure at COCIN hospital and Rehabilitation center in Mangu local government area of Plateau state. He was given a certificate to that effect.
In a chat with Joshua Yenle and Bulus Bala Izang, he spoke about the discrimination he is facing and how he manages rights violation as a person with leprosy.
TQM: What are you doing now for a living?
I keep livestock, such as birds, goats and sheep, time to time, I sell and make little income.
TQM: As a person with disability, do you experience any form of discrimination from members of the society?
Yes, l do, it is in the nature of humans to discriminate against people like us, it’s all that people do naturally. Some show us kindness while some are very unkind.
TQM: When your right or the right of any of your members are violated, what steps do you take to seek redress?
We try to resolve the issue in a peaceful way because, it is not good to have problem with members your community, especially now that most of us are old.
TQM: Don’t you involve bodies that government have put in place to help protect the Rights of persons with Disabilities such as Plateau State Disability Rights Commission?
The members of this communities have been helping us, if we take legal actions, we will be biting the fingers that feeds us.
TQM: You are only seeking for rights that God and the constitution have given to you as a person.
When you talk peacefully, you will also get your rights.
TQM: What will you place as an appeal to the government to do for you?
I would like the government to help us by giving our children scholarship, so that they can go to school and also give them special consideration in employment after their graduation to reduce our burden.
TQM:Â Thank you for giving us your time, we wish you good health
