ABUJA – Misbahu Lawan Didi became paralyzed in both legs after contracting the polio virus as a child. 

As a lover of games, he was unable to enjoy his favorite sports with his able-bodied counterparts. In 1988, he founded para-soccer for disabled polio survivors to play. 

Not long after, he also played a part in creating Nigeria’s Polio Survivors’ Association. The aim was to use survivors’ stories to drive awareness and vaccinations.

“Many people were rejecting treatment based on what they believed. Some believed it is Western manipulation to reduce the number of Nigerians; some believed in the religion of Islam that it is not accepted,” Didi said. “Everybody had their own beliefs and the government always found it difficult to get to some people because they have already decided not to take the oral polio vaccination.” 

The game which Lawan started as a young man has become a national sport with a major tournament held each October to mark World Polio Day. 

Polio survivors like Bello Abdullahi, who have been a part of the game since 1997, are para-soccer stars. 

He has also made enough money to do business and support his family.

“Through the sport I got a house in FCT (Abuja), I have been doing small business,” Abdullahi said. “If you look down there,” he points, “you’ll see my refrigerators — two of them. I got the money to buy the refrigerators through sports.”

A 43-nation region in Africa was certified polio-free on August 24 after Nigeria, the last country on the continent to report cases, had not seen an instance since 2016, when cases surged during unrest in the Borno region.

Faisal Shuaib is executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency. He said an insurgency involving Boko Haram militants stalled progress made against polio. Boko Haram has been fighting to carve out an Islamic caliphate based in Nigeria.

“We could not access kids behind the enemy lines,” Shuaib said. “When the kids started coming out then it became obvious that there was still some transmission going on in Borno around the lake Chad region. But beyond all of that, there was insecurity as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency, that is what created many communities that were inaccessible.

The victory for the African region comes more than two decades since Nigeria joined the fight to eradicate polio in Africa.

While many celebrate, Shuaib said it’s important to remain vigilant.

 ”As long as we continue to have two endemic countries — Pakistan and Afghanistan, then there’s always that potential that there’ll be importation of the wild polio virus to any African country, to Nigeria as it were,” Shuaib said. “So, of course, that concern is there.”

A disability rights group in Nigeria estimates 40% of people with disabilities in the country are polio survivors, and that most of them live in abject poverty. 

Beyond Nigeria’s polio eradication, polio survivor Misbahu Lawan Didi says he will keep working to give other survivors hope through sports. 

Source: VOA

The Executive Director of The Qualitative Magazine TQM, the foremost disability advocacy magazine in Nigeria, Comrade Chris Obiora Agbo has expressed his gratitude for the appointment of members of the governing council of National Disability Commission.

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja, the Publisher thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for being a friend to persons with disabilities by listening to the agitations and kept his campaign promise of signing disability bill into law and establishment of a commission as it is enshrined in Disability law.

He used the opportunity to appreciate all those that were part of the struggle for over 20 years and he urge those appointed not to forget that this is a collective struggle so all their actions must be for collective good.

He congratulated those that were appointed and implore them to keep their doors open for those with geniue ideas and they should know that they are representing those who have suffered for years and this is the only hope for a liberation.

He implored them to get the ground running because there is a lot to catch up especially in the area of awareness creation of the Disability law and engaging of the stakeholders to understand their roles in the implementation.

“There is no time, there is a lot of work to do, it is an opportunity of a lifetime for Disability community, let’s capitalize on it. Mr. President has done his part, it is now left for us to do our own part. Let it not be that we have failed ourselves” he said.

He called on states who are yet to have a disability law to do immediately and establish a commission or board to oversee the implementation.

The former APC disabled leader, Misbau Lawan Didi has expressed his gratitude to almighty Allah, the President, Muhammad Buhari, APC led Government and all those that supported the creation/ establishment of the Nigeria’s Commission for People with Disabilities.

In a press statements sent to The Qualitative Magazine TQM on Tuesday, he is pleased to thank the president and the entire disability community for this historical feat, it is a timely decision for total mainstreaming/inclusiveness of persons with disabilities in governance.
He specially thank Mr. President for the appointment of the Commission Governing Council Members as mentioned below:-

1. Hon. Dr Hussaini Suleiman Kangiwa – Chairman – North West
2. Oparaku Onyejelam Jaja – Member – South East
3. Philomena Isioma Konwea – Member – South South
4. Omopariola Busuyi Oluwasola – Member – South West
5. Amina Rahma Audu – Member – North West
6. Mrs Esther Andrew Awu – Member – North Central
7. Abba Audu Ibrahim – Member – North East
8. James David Lalu – Executive Secretary – North Central

“The above listed names, Congratulations to all of you and indeed disability family/Community in Nigeria, May Allah guide you to do the right things in this important assignment and may he assist you not to let us down, Please remember that the success achieved is a collective struggle for over 20 years”, he said.

Misbau, the inventor of Parasoccer in Nigeria applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for making history again, recalling that in his administration, persons with disabilities have had it so good. He has achieved the total inclusion of persons with disabilities in governance by appointing;
1) SSA and SA on disabled Matters.
2) SA on special needs office of the humanitain Minister.
3) Signing into Law the Disability discrimination Act.
4) Appointments of the Disability Commission’s Members
5) Establishing Commission for the people with disabilities.
6) Encourage the appoiment of SA office of the Hon. Speaker House of Reps. and
7) Encourage my Election as the first APC National Disabled Leader and over 120, 000 positions for PWDs in APC Leadership at all levels.

“Again Mr. President, Congratulations for the Certification of Nigeria as a Polio Free Country you are indeed a great Achiever.” He concluded.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Monday, approved the composition of the governing council of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.

He also appointed Mr James Lalu as the commission’s Executive Secretary.

These were contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

The statement was titled “President Buhari approves appointment of chairman, members of council and Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons With Disabilities.”

The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the composition of the Governing Council and appointment of Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities in line with the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2019.

“According to the Act, the commission shall be headed by a part-time chairman and six members who shall be persons with disabilities representing the geo-political zones of the federation subject to confirmation of the Senate for a four-year term of office in the first instance and may be reappointed for a second term of four years and no more.

“The Executive Secretary, who shall be responsible to the council for the implementation of the policies and administration of the daily affairs of the commission, shall also be a person with disability with a five-year tenure in the first instance, and may be reappointed for a second term and no more.

“Below are the names, designations and geo-political zones of members of the management of the commission: Dr Hussaini Kangiwa – Chairman – North West; Oparaku Jaja – Member – South East; Philomena Konwea – Member – South South; Omopariola Oluwasola – Member – South West; Amina Audu – Member – North West; Mrs Esther Awu – Member – North Central; Abba Ibrahim – Member – North East; and James David Lalu – Executive Secretary – North Central.”