The first wheelchair-bound model, Ms Rita Ofili, on Friday urged parents and government to expose persons with disabilities to career development programmes early in life.
Ofili, also an actor and inclusion activist, made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos as she released a documentary drama to spur creativity in such group of people.
She said that the docudrama focused on enlightening the society to love and encourage persons living with disability and how this could be done.
“The docudrama tries to correct people’s misconception about persons with disability and tried to educate the society on how best to handle them to be productive in life.
” The society needs to blend and accommodate children with disability, because disability is not infectious.
“Parents are advised not to abandon their children with disabilities, but groom them properly with lots of encouragement.
“My docudrama is titled ‘I Am Rita Ofili’. The character, Rita, is seen doing her aerobics like every normal person. She sits and slays, tidies the home, cooks, sweeps and does every other chores like the woman she is.
“I have a social life, go to church, parties, go on date, no limitations at all.
” The docudrama is a drama that is impactful, inspirational and educating, we teach parents that whatever they instill in a child is what that child becomes,” she said.
Ofili disclosed that the docudrama would be released Sept. 6 on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other media platforms.
The wheelchair model challenged other physically challenged persons in the society to come out of their shell, as, according to her, “there are abilities in disabilities.”
She said she had offered herself to help the physically challenged persons by opening their senses of reasoning to know that they need to change the wrong perceptions of themselves first.
She noted that she had been doing this with the active partnership with Pha Phata Hope Foundation.
“The physically challenged also need to learn to love themselves, the way they are so that they can discover their talents and area of strength which would be useful for them.
“The government should render assistance in the area of finances, cameras purchase, training space and more.
” We need government’s assistance to train the persons living with disability to be presenters, actors, artistes, fashion designers, make-up artistes and more,”Ofili said.
According to the model, “persons living with disability need more encouragement to be able to conquer their physical challenges and achieve greatness in life.”
Mr Tunde Afolabi, Ofili’s manager, said that the docudrama was produced to change the mindset of people about persons with disability, to see the budding ability in them.
“They are not beggars the way people think, they are not vulnerable, but intelligent, smart, strong, energetic and vibrant set of people in the society.
“So, we are using the docudrama to change that infamous notion, it is in series, the first four series are ready to be released Sept. 6. which will be available on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other social media platforms.”
Afolabi appealed to the government to organise re-orientation programmes for the physically challenged persons, in order to empower them more.
