On Sunday 10th November, 2019, Disability Not A Barrier Initiative (DINABI) embarked on another of its advocacy programme tagged “Disability Awareness Creation from the Church” which held at First Baptist Church, Miracle Cathedral, Okeyinmi Street, Ado-Ekiti. The program with the vision of increasing the awareness of parents and guardians of children with disabilities on the need not to hide them indoor any longer but allow them to get required education and live a purposeful life and also to encourage and teach parents and guardian of children with disabilities on the best way of taking care of them was supported by Brilliant Minds Academy, Ado-Ekiti.
The Executive Director of DINABI, Olajide Funso told the 530-capacity congregation that disability is not a disease. He urged parents and guardians of children with disabilities to emulate his own parents who against all odds decided to train him in school despite discrimination and stigmatization. He said further that disability should not be a barrier to academic success and living a purposeful life.
Engr. Olajide said there were still parents in the society and even probably in the congregation that have children with disabilities hidden at home even unknown to the pastor due to fear of discrimination, shame, stigmatization and archaic belief. He urged such parents/guardians to emulate him and other members of the team who are all graduates and doing well in life.
He admonished parents/guardians to instill courage in children with disabilities, set targets for them, make research on their type of disability, consult groups/association of persons with disabilities and also tell and show them stories of people with disabilities who have made it in life. He also encouraged the parents/guardians to always watch what and how they address their children with disabilities.
Olajide further said that implementation of the National Disability Acts and domesticating same at the State level is one of the surest ways of ameliorating the sufferings of persons with disabilities in our society. He urged the pastorate and members of the congregation to speak up for persons with disabilities most especially on their rights as a member of the society and the need to implement the Disability Acts. He also calls for collaboration between the church and the disability community to ending discrimination and stigmatization of persons with disabilities.
The Senior Pastor of the church, Rev. Dr. Kayode Ayinde through his wife, Pastor (Mrs) Hellen Ayinde said all men were created and given a fair share of talents according to their capacity. The woman of God who spoke on “A Faithful Steward” told the congregation that irrespective of our disabilities, we will all give an account of our stewardship since God has deposited huge resources and talents in us. She urged persons with disabilities to stop feeling inferior and stop looking down on themselves.
Deacon Segun Ogundare on behalf of the church thanked the team from DINABI for bringing such purposeful programme to their congregation. He said there is no doubt that members of the church are now more enlightened than ever on the issues of disability and inclusion.
DINABI’s Program Assistant, Ibitoye Hellen said DINABI will not rest until disability awareness and inclusion gets to the nooks and crannies of our society.
DINABI’s train goes to another church next Sunday.
