The Mist Beautiful Deaf Girl in Nigeria Group (MBDGN) in conjunction with the Empathy Driven International Initiative (EDIIN), a Non-Governmental Organisation that focuses on protecting and defending the physically challenged society in Nigeria will hold the first-ever beauty pageant for the deaf in the country.

On Friday, 1st November 2019, fifteen beautiful, intelligent, smart and super-courageous young deaf ladies from across the country will compete for a crown that has not been worn before. Tagged “beauty in silence,” the event is which is focused on inclusion, is designed to showcase the innate abilities of a secluded people in the society.

The winner of the debut MBDGN pageant will be representing Nigeria at the 2020 Miss Deaf World Beauty Pageant in the Czech Republic while the first runner up will be representing Nigeria at the miss deaf international in the USA in 2020. The runner up will also be representing Nigeria at the miss deaf Africa in 2020.

The MBDGN is fully endorsed by the federal government through the ministry of women’s affairs.

Speaking with journalists at a press conference in Lagos, the CEO MBDGN, Dr. Tolulope Oko-Igaire, said, “it has been nineteen years (19) since the miss deaf world beauty pageant began in the Czech Republic and Africa’s most populated nation is poised to be a part of this for the very first time. This has been in the pipeline since 2011 and in 2012, we brought Miss Deaf International into Nigeria. This is a dream come through, we are partnering with EDWIIN and this has come to stay. MBDGN is about making sure that the most neglected set of people in this part of this world are heard.

“Beyond the beauty pageant, we also want the public to know that all over the world, we are talking about inclusion. We are talking about an inclusive society; although they live in a silent world, this pageant is going to throw a lot of things to light. The violence that a woman living with a disability goes through, the neglect and exclusion that a girl with hearing or speech impairment experiences. All through this pageant, their beauty, their intelligence, and their talents will be showcased.”  Mrs. Uri Ngozichukwuka, the convener of EDWIIN and principal partner of MBDGN 2019 revealed.

The event is billed to commence on October 26 has a variety of programs like a visit to the deaf children school, Nike Art Gallery, Lekki Conservation, a spa treatment for the contestants, an awareness walk around Lagos and a grand finale where the winner of the pageant will be crowned.

Veteran actress, Princess Teni Aofiyebi one of the selected judges and mother of the day threw a weight strongly behind the initiative. Herself a former beauty queen of the Caribbeans in 1971, she expressed excitement at the initiative and urged both the government and corporate organizations to show love and support to the initiative.

Also present at the conference was the CEO of Golden Heights Travel and Tours, Mrs. Gbemileke Olaleru whose company has donated a travel ticket to Dubai for the winner of the pageant and her interpreter. Aside from this, the contestants will also have the opportunity of receiving various vocational training and will also be empowered to become IT and Tech-savvy via a vocational center for the deaf to be championed by the queen. (Insidebusiness)

by Chris Agbo

The Director, FCT Education Board, Dr. Mrs. Francisca Ogechukwu Eneh in a chat with The Qualitative Magazine disclosed that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Bello Mohammed has interest in Inclusive education. He has ordered that two plot schools (GSS Jabi and LEA Primary School, Wuse) be used to access the workability of the inclusive education to serve a model before it will be extended to other schools, but already some schools have started inclusive education and through the intervention of the FCT Education Board, some private schools have adopted Inclusive education and the effort are on the way to ensure that the entire schools whether public or private adopts Inclusive Education.

the Minister has also promised that there would be provision of braille version of the books used in the FCT schools, training of teachers to acquire special education skills which has started will continue until all teachers in FCT acquire these skills, building of ramps in the schools will commence at the plot schools and it will be extended to other schools in due time.

FCT lacks special education teachers, so the board are faced with the task of training the teachers both in the skills of identifying and managing children with learning disabilities and sign language interpreting. The idea is that the board prefers a situation that all these children learns in the same environment.

She lamented that funding is a challenge because special education is expensive, government can not do it alone. She salutes the courage of owners of special schools where children with down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism etc are educated. She informed that the FCT Education Board was a unit, it was upgraded recently so the board is now taking up some initiatives, they are already engaging some NGOs, development partners, individuals to mobilize funds for special education. The board understands the challenges faced by the proprietors of these schools and one of the duties of the board is to ensure that standard operation procedures are adhered to in the running of these special schools. The board has plans to engage the caregivers, school proprietors and other stakeholders because of quality assurance to know what they need in order to know where to channel funds and assistive materials when they are available.

She frowns on parents who hide their children with disabilities, she advised that when parents keep their children away, they are not doing them any good, they are killing the future of the children, these children can still become whatever they want to be in life. She informed that the board have plans to go to the villages to speak with village heads and other village leaders to plead with parents who have this kind of children to bring them out so that they can acquire education. The target of the board is to ensure that every child with disabilities in FCT and every other child acquire quality education. No child should be left behind.

When she was asked about access to the school facilities and schooling materials by persons with disabilities, she informed us that a committee was set up to look into it. Soon, they will come up with modalities to achieve full access to school. Interestingly, some schools in FCT, the headmaster or the principal has taken up the initiative and make provision of ramps because they have children on wheelchair. The board have instructed the heads of the schools to ensure that they put in place those within their budget like ramps in some strategic place in the schools because this rejection of children with disabilities should stop. They have been mandated to enroll every child because Nigeria is now the country with the highest number of out of school children and if it must reduce, the schools must be conducive for all. The board are proposing for more special needs teachers and training the existing teachers with requisite skills. The board will introduce sign language in the school, all children and their teachers should learn sign language and this should be extended to the home. She assured that FCT Education Board even though is not yet a full department will do all that can to reduce the number of children out of school in FCT and they are open for collaborations to achieve their desire goals.

ABOUT 200 persons with disabilities will be deployed as election observers in the forthcoming Kogi governorship election slated for 16th November 2019.

The Deputy Country Director, National Democratic Institute (NDI) Mr. Raymond Esebagbon stated this on Wednesday when the Challenge Parenthood Initiative paid the Secretary to the Kogi State Government Mrs Folashade Arike Ayoade an advocacy visit on the need to stop violence against women in the election and to ensure more women participation in the polls.

Esebagbon in his remarks noted that this will be accomplished in collaboration with other NGO’s which include  National Democratic Institute (NDI), Inclusive Friends Associate (IFA), Challenge Parenthood Initiative (CPI), and Center for Democracy, USAID and Development (CDD).

While noting that his organization has over the years support good governance in the country, Esebagbon stressed that the injection of people with disabilities into the election process, will promote inclusiveness in the system.

Esebagbon maintained that, one of the goals of the organization was to ensure that more women and youths participate in politics, just as he emphasized that the non-governmental organization is committed to supporting issued based campaign as well as combating the menace of fake news before, during and after the polls.

He disclosed that as part of efforts to drive home the campaign of achieving a violence free election in the state, a veteran musician 2Baba will be in Kogi State next week, to sensitize electorates on the need for hitch free election.

According to him, about seven states including Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Adamawa, Lagos, Anambra and Enugu, have keyed into the campaign to stop violence against women in election.

Esebagbon who commended the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for appointing more women in his cabinet since the state was created 28 years ago, said the campaign will not yield fruit if the government failed to throw in their support.

He however listed health, education, Job creation, public and civil service reform as well as infrastructural development as some of the primary thematic areas that the government should look into, if it must succeed in the state.

In her response, Secretary to Kogi State Government, Mrs. Folashade Arike Ayoade, describes the state as a confluence of opportunity and stated that the present administration was determined to leave a legacy that would not be forgotten in the country.(Freshangle)

Survey reveals widespread discriminatory attitudes at UK firms

by Ben Chapman

The majority of business leaders in the UK are apprehensive about recruiting disabled people to senior positions, a poll suggests. The survey found that 41 per cent of respondents felt that disabled people might take a lot of sick leave and 45 per cent said their offices wouldn’t be accessible to those with disabilities.

Respondents voiced concerns including that disabled people’s “capabilities might not be enough to carry the job properly” and that disabled people may not be able to cope with “the high stress involved with executive life”.

Survation polled 1,000 senior business figures and found discriminatory attitudes were widespread. Just 11 per cent said they would have no concerns about recruiting a disabled person to a senior role. 

The main reason given for business leaders being apprehensive about recruiting disabled people was that they felt making the necessary adjustments to the working environment would cost a lot of money. This was despite the average cost of reasonable adjustments being just £75, according to the research.

Inclusive Boards, an executive search firm specialising in increasing diversity in UK boardrooms, commissioned the research. The company’s director, Samuel Kasumu, said: “The findings of this poll shows just how far we are as a society from truly understanding how to engage with disability within the workplace. 

“There are many disabled people that have just as much talent and leadership potential as anyone else. We need to educate businesses and challenge many misconceptions.”

Two thirds of those surveyed said they did not know any senior disabled leaders and one third did not think their organisation would benefit from employing a disabled person. 

More than 7 million people of working age reported that they were disabled in January-March 2019 – almost 1 in 5 of the working-age population.

Mark Hodgkinson, chief executive of disability equality charity Scope, said: “Many businesses are missing out on a huge pool of disabled talent. We know that employers who recognise the potential of disabled people at all levels of their organisation will thrive. Becoming an inclusive employer needs to be a priority for all businesses.

In response to the findings Inclusive Boards is building a toolkit aimed at supporting organisations and

sectors to improve the representation of disabled people on Boards and in senior leadership positions.

The toolkit will be launched at the House of Commons on 10 September. 

Theresa May has also recently announced a new Office for Tackling Injustices, which will publish official data of disparities impacting disabled people and other marginalised groups.(Independent)

by Comr. Yusuf Kumo.

The Bauchi State Association of the Deaf (BSAD) celebrated its International Week for the Deaf at the government House on Monday, 30 September, 2019.

The members of the Association had earlier notified the government and the security agencies of it’s planned rally. They were later in the day seen stage a rally walk from the emir’s palace to the government House after honouring and securing the blessings of His Royal Highness Dr.Rilwanu Sulaiman Ádámù, the Emir of Bauchi.

The Chairman of the Association, Garba Abubakar stated that the aim of the celebration is to honour one of their Deaf hero Grandville Redmond (Born in USA in 1987) and to use this opportunity to appeal to the government to look at the situations of the Deaf and address their challenges ranging from discrimination in employment, lack of empowerment, welfare, rights to education, inclusion in government among others.

He added that he wants the government to give the Deaf equal rights as given to hearing people. He pleaded with the government to bring back the autonomy of their agency for persons with disabilities which will help to serve as link between the government and the disabled persons in Bauchi state and their challenges directly like it had been doing during the previous administration of Malam Isa yaguda.

The governor of Bauchi state represented by the Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Nasiru Yalwa welcomed the association warmly and thanked them for coming from different local governments to celebrate the International Week for the Deaf.

In his remarks, Yelwa said that when the Executive Governor of Bauchi State is back from his short trip, he will submit their request letter and brief the Governor about the development being discussed with him during the IWD celebration.(Inclusivenews)

Below are some of the pictures from the event.

by Chris Agbo

On Saturday 5^th October, 2019, The Engraced Ones Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative organized their 2^nd annual Down syndrome and cerebral palsy prayer/advocacy walk. The awareness Walk which was to mark the world cerebral palsy day took off from Karu Market and terminated at LEA Primary School, Jikwoyi, Abuja. It was characterized with educating the marketers/other residents in different languages on how to identify a child with down syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy condition and the need to contact the Engraced Ones for assistance. Fliers and posters with the same messages were also shared. The same message was carried out also along the major road from Karu market to Jikwoyi.

The highlight of the event was commissioning of the Engraced Ones’s Special School with the name School of Grace at LEA Primary School, Jikwoyi Phase 1, Abuja by Air Vice Marshall Nelson Calmday. School of Grace already have about 8 to 9 children with these conditions and with the more public support, they will admit more.

Mrs Biby Yinkere the founder of The Engraced Ones while talking to the press calls for more support from the government and the general public because it is too expensive to cater for children with down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and other intellectual disabilities. She proffered that economic empowerment of the parents of these children will go along way towards assisting these children. She cited example with their newly launched school, out of the 9 children with special needs at the school, it is only one child that the parents could afford a little out of the required fees for educating each of the children. The economic wellbeing of a good number of the parents is nothing to envy, they can’t afford the health demands of their children not to talk about expensive nature of their education. She frowned at some parents who are discriminating against their children living with these conditions. She said that some of the parents don’t even have their children with special needs in the family album, they don’t want the public to know that they have children with special needs and as such they can’t even take their children with special needs to school. She scolded these parents and reminded them that children with intellectual disabilities deserve good life like others, they can also excel in life, all that they need is extra support from their parents.

The representative of National Orientation (NOA) Chinwe Ikaraoha (Assistant Director, Special Duties, National Orientation Agency FCT Directorate told the press that the government have signed the disability bill into law to give the persons with disabilities the room to demand for their rights. She said that the rights of the children with intellectual disabilities have been granted by the law and NOA is working to publish the law in different languages to educate the public about the law.

The representative of the Federal Ministry of Health expressed strong commitment from the ministry to ensure that all Nigerians access healthcare services irrespective of their status. She said that the ministry is interested in child’s health especially the children with intellectual disabilities, the government can’t do it alone but the ministry is putting process in the place to ensure that children with intellectual disabilities access medical care in all government hospital across the country.

The 2019 2^nd Annual Engraced Ones Down syndrome and Cerebral Advocacy Walk was elaborate and successful through partnership with some other individuals and organizations such as Gbenga Adeleke(CEO, Community and Family Care Initiative), Pastor Augustine Ogbogu(Honey Embassy Church), Francis Morhic( MD, IKE Foundation for Autism), Nnoli Chris(Director, Mary Slessor Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Centre), Chinwe Ikaraoha( Assistant Director, Special Duties, National Orientation Agency FCT Directorate), Mrs Sophie Too(MD, Even Charity), Air Commodore Marquis(Directing Staff Nigeria Defence College), Agbo Christian Obiora( Publisher, The Qualitative Magazine) and Gospels artists Femi Ajide and Yemisi Marquis.

Engraced Ones is prayer support and advocacy initiative established in April, 2015 to bring together parents of children with intellectual disabilities and other adults who love these children for the purpose of encouraging parents of the children, educate the public about the condition and advocate for their access to healthcare services, education and other rights. The group as their name implies refer to these children living with down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and other intellectual disabilities as Engraced Ones.

The event witnessed the presence of some well-wishers, friends, parents of children with special needs, schools, persons with disabilities, partners, federal ministry of health, women affair ministry and National Orientation Agency FCT Directorate and members of the press.

One of the group numerous activities is the Annual Prayer/advocacy walk to mark The World Cerebral Palsy Day. The maiden edition took place last year 2018 when the group walked from Apo under Bridge to Gudu Market.

Cerebral Palsy Day is a social movement and a day to celebrate and affirm the lives of the 17 million people living with cerebral palsy (CP). The project was launched in 6^th of October, 2012 by Cerebral Palsy Alliance (Australia) and United Cerebral Palsy (USA). It is supported by over 450 cerebral palsy service organizations, universities, parent groups, research institutions, student groups, schools and children’s hospitals from 65 countries.

HERE ARE MORE PICTURES OF THE EVENT

by Agbo Chris

Disability Not A Barrier Initiative (DINABI) on Wednesday 2nd October, 2019 organized a programme tagged: Back to School Version 2.1 for students with visual impairments at the Government Special School for the Blind, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The event which was aimed at sensitizing the students on how to cope with disabilities and how to live a fulfilled life witnessed an influx of various dignitaries from the civil society and government sides.

The executive director of DINABI, Engr Olajide Funso Benjamin who is a person with physical disability speaking at the event lectured the students on “Ten ways on how to cope with Disability Barriers”. He urged them to stay focused on the positives, never to give up, to challenge themselves and try new things, to be polite and stay calm with obnoxious people while also urging them to accept their disability and move on.

He also urges the federal government to implement the national disability acts by first establishing a national disability commission. He said that establishment of national disability commission will further give hope to 27million Nigerians living with disabilities as well as sense of belonging to PWDs.

A representative of Ekiti state government and a Board member of EKSCIDA, Hon Eyitayo Fabunmi in his speech at the event stated that the administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi will do everything possible to make persons with disabilities happy. He urged the students to follow in the footsteps of the founder of DINABI, Engr. Olajide whom he described as a disability ambassador in Ekiti State. Hon Fabunmi who is also the founder of an NGO called CEFSORD promised that his NGO will partner with DINABI to implement some projects for the students benefit.

The chairman of JONAPWD in Ekiti state, Mr Omotola Omotunla advised the students not to see their present situation as a barrier to their success in life. He urged the students to emulate the lives of various disability advocates across Nigeria such as Engr. Olajide Funso, David Anyaele, Dr Irene Patrick-Ogbogu etc.

Miss Ibitoye Hellen, the Program Assistant of DINABI took the students through a presentation titled “Positive Mind, Positive Vibes breeds Positive Life”. Miss Ibitoye who is on wheel-chair narrated her own story and urged the students to learn from her own experience.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of various gift items to support the students which includes beverages, toiletries, writing materials etc.

The vice principal of the school Mr Seidu Olasunkanmi who spoke on behalf of the principal who was unavoidable absent due to an official assignment expressed joy and appreciation to DINABI for their thoughtfulness and passion for the issues of persons with disabilities. He said DINABI is the first NGO founded by a PWD to visit the school.

The students were delighted and they stated that its first of its kind in the history of the school. They also took turns to pray for DINABI.