The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, has summoned the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Federal Neuropsychiatric School of Post Basic Mental Health Nursing, Enugu, over allegations of discrimination against a visually-impaired nurse, Ms. Uche Olivia, who sought admission into the institution.
The summons, conveyed in a letter dated January 6, 2026, and signed by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Ayuba Burki Gufwan, directed the CMD to appear before the Commission on January 29, 2026. The invitation is part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged failure of the institution to provide reasonable accommodation for Ms. Olivia during its entrance examination process.
The letter, entitled “Investigative Activities Pursuant to Section 1 of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 in the Matter of Uche Olivia,” stated that the order was issued in line with the statutory mandate of the Commission to promote, protect, and enforce the rights of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
According to the Commission, the invitation was necessitated by claims that the school engaged in discriminatory conduct against Ms. Olivia, a registered nurse who is visually impaired and was seeking to specialise in mental health nursing.
“The Commission is a creation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, charged with the responsibility to promote, protect and enforce the rights of persons with disabilities in Nigeria,” the letter read.
“You are hereby invited to an investigative meeting to examine an alleged discriminatory conduct against Ms. Uche Olivia, a person with a disability (visually impaired). This invitation is made pursuant to Section 1 of the Act, and noncompliance will attract severe sanctions.”
A Dream Interrupted
Ms. Olivia, who was licensed as a registered nurse in 2022, narrated her experience in an emotional video that has since circulated widely on social media.
“This is me calling out the Federal Neuropsychiatric School in Enugu for what they did to me,” she said. “If you are visually impaired or have a disability, you may want to listen to this.”
She explained that her challenges began in October 2024 when she was diagnosed with optic nerve atrophy, a medical condition that causes degeneration of the optic nerve and significant loss of vision. According to her, the diagnosis affected her life “in the most negative way,” but did not dampen her passion for mental health nursing.
In 2025, determined to pursue her specialty, Ms. Olivia applied for admission into the Federal Neuropsychiatric School of Post Basic Mental Health Nursing, Enugu. Aware of her visual impairment, she said she proactively informed the institution of her condition and requested reasonable accommodations to enable her sit for the entrance examination.
“I requested three simple things,” she said. “Either make the exam questions bolder so I won’t strain my eyes, assign an examiner to read out the questions to me, or grant me extra time. I needed just one of these options.”
Despite reminding the school several times before the examination date, she said no concrete arrangements were made.
An Examination Marked by Neglect
On the day of the exam, Ms. Olivia arrived at the venue as early as 7 a.m. for an examination scheduled for 9 a.m. According to her account, accreditation was delayed, and the examination eventually commenced around 5 p.m.
“When they started sharing the question papers, nobody said anything to me,” she recounted. “I approached an examiner and explained my situation. She looked at me with disdain. I broke down in tears. She simply walked away.”
She further narrated that another examiner asked her to approach the provost of the school. With hope that her concerns would finally be addressed, she presented her medical report and restated her request for assistance.
“He told me there was nothing he could do,” she said. “He advised me to answer only the questions I could see and leave the ones I couldn’t. I stood there watching my dream shatter.”
Speaking in disbelief, she added, “Imagine a mental health institution that cannot provide mental support to a visually-impaired candidate.”
Following the incident, Ms. Olivia called on relevant authorities to intervene, not just for her sake, but to protect potential victims of similar discrimination. She also expressed her willingness to seek admission in a more inclusive mental health institution, either within or outside Nigeria, if her rights continued to be denied.
Rights, Not Charity
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from disability rights advocates, who insist that the failure to provide reasonable accommodation violates the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
Commenting on the matter, advocates noted that Ms. Olivia’s requests were not privileges but rights guaranteed under the law. They argued that if examination bodies such as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) can provide accommodations like extra time and readers for candidates with disabilities, specialized medical institutions should be held to the same standard.
“It is her right,” one advocate said. “If she cannot read the questions, someone should assist her. The law is clear. We have an Act that protects her, and it must be enforced.”
The advocate, a polio survivor, stressed the need to challenge discriminatory systems rather than encourage affected persons to abandon the country in search of inclusion elsewhere.
“She should be allowed to write that exam under fair conditions,” he added. “Many of us will stand with her. If the school refuses to do the right thing, the matter should be pursued to its logical conclusion.”
School Responds
When journalists visited the Federal Neuropsychiatric School in Enugu, the CMD was reportedly unavailable. However, a senior official of the institution, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the school would honour the invitation from the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.
“We will appear before the Commission,” the source said. “It will give us the opportunity to present our own side of the narrative.”
A Test Case for Disability Rights Enforcement
As the January 29 investigative hearing approaches, disability advocates and members of the public are watching closely. Many see the case as a crucial test of Nigeria’s commitment to enforcing its Disability Act, seven years after its enactment.
For Ms. Uche Olivia and countless others like her, the outcome may determine whether Nigeria’s disability laws remain mere words on paper—or become living instruments of justice, dignity, and equal opportunity.
