Osogbo, Nigeria – June 11, 2025 — In a bold move to translate disability rights from paper to practice, the Festus Fajemilo Foundation (FFF) has successfully organized a two-day capacity building workshop for key personnel of relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Osun State, aimed at the full implementation of the Osun State Disability Law.
The workshop, which took place on the 10th and 11th of June, 2025, at WOCDIF Hall, Osogbo, was held in collaboration with the Osun State Ministry of Sports and Special Needs, with support from The Leprosy Mission Nigeria and funding from the Liliane Foundation, Netherlands.
Turning Legal Victories into Tangible Impact
While Nigeria ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2007 and domesticated it with the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act in 2019, implementation remains a major challenge. Osun State is among 21 sub-national governments that have domesticated the Act and further demonstrated commitment by establishing a Bureau for Persons with Disabilities.
Despite these progressive steps, many disability laws often remain under-implemented due to poor inter-agency coordination, low awareness, and inadequate capacity of government personnel. FFF stepped into this gap with the goal of equipping stakeholders to effectively implement the Osun State Disability Law passed in June 2024 under the administration of Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke.
A Workshop Rooted in Inclusion and Action
Led by Mr. Olajide Funso Benjamin, a renowned development consultant and disability advocate, and Mr. Afolabi Fajemilo, Executive Director of FFF, the workshop featured interactive sessions and group exercises designed to enhance participants’ understanding of:
- Models and definitions of disability
- National and state legal frameworks
- Disability-inclusive language and etiquette
- Practical barriers to inclusion and how to overcome them
- Detailed analysis of the Osun State Disability Law
- Integration of disability rights into government programming
Participants engaged in role plays, shared insights during open discussions, and developed realistic action plans to institutionalize disability inclusion in their agencies.
Strong Turnout, Stronger Commitment
A total of 44 stakeholders participated in the training, including:
- 23 government duty bearers
- 9 political appointees
- 3 representatives of JONAPWD (Osun Chapter)
- 3 civil society organizations
- 3 media representatives
- 2 project staff
- 1 lead facilitator
The inclusive mix of attendees set the tone for multi-sectoral collaboration — a key element in the successful implementation of disability policy.
From Knowledge to Action: Measurable Outcomes
Post-training assessments revealed:
- Increased understanding of global and domestic disability laws
- Positive shift in attitudes and use of person-first language
- Strong grasp of accessibility needs and institutional bottlenecks
- High enthusiasm for mainstreaming disability rights into agency operations
- 13 of the 14 MDAs present developed concrete action plans with timelines, responsible officers, resource needs, and strategies for implementation
To sustain momentum, an inter-agency WhatsApp group was created for continuous engagement and monitoring.
Lessons and Recommendations
Participants highlighted the value of context-specific sessions, particularly those focused on the Osun State Disability Law and disability-inclusive language. They recommended:
- Extending the duration of future workshops
- Including more MDAs and local actors
- Organizing periodic refresher trainings and follow-ups
A Vision of Inclusion, Driven by FFF
According to Mr. Afolabi Fajemilo, “This training represents more than just capacity building; it is about changing the mindset and practices of the state institutions toward full respect for the rights of persons with disabilities. At FFF, we believe that laws must live in the daily realities of the people they’re designed to protect.”
The workshop marks another milestone in FFF’s ongoing advocacy work in Osun State since 2021, which has included mobilizing organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), policy dialogues, media engagements, and capacity building programs that directly contributed to the passage of the Osun State Disability Law.
Conclusion: A New Chapter for Disability Inclusion in Osun
With this training, the Festus Fajemilo Foundation has lit a beacon of possibility, showing that when civil society, government, and development partners work hand-in-hand, transformative change is not only possible but inevitable.
As Osun State moves from lawmaking to law-implementation, the voices of persons with disabilities are no longer in the background — they are at the center of decision-making, where they rightfully belong.
