The Engraced Ones is prayer support and advocacy initiative established three years exactly at April, 2015. The group is comprised of parents of children with special needs and other adults who love children with special needs. The main purpose of this group is to rally round one another as parents of these children and to sensitize the public about their condition while advocating for better health, education and good living condition of vulnerable children. The group in their wisdom refer to these children as engraced children and that was why the NGO goes by the name The Engraced Ones.

I met with the convener of the NGO Mrs. Biby Yinkere who is a parent to a child with special need in a programme she organized, which I was invited by a friend, after seeing what she and her group is doing for children living with cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disability etc, I decided to have a chat with her as my own way of adding a voice to her advocacy.

In this interview, she spoke on how it all started, the challenges of taking care of a child with special needs and the future plans for the group.

TQ: What inspired you to initiate this group?

It was God who inspired me. God specifically spoke to me about it and I followed his instruction. I move around the schools, churches, and I noticed that children with special needs are not enrolled in schools, they don’t accompany their parents to churches, parties and programmes and they are not in their family pictures. There is a lot of exclusion, all these convinced me that it was the right thing to do. The discrimination of the engraced child started from the home; so, I needed to educate these families that there is nothing demonic about the child. It is only a health condition. I understand that the perception of the parents of the children is key, for instance, when I had my child, my husband and I didn’t see her as less than a human and because of that, her siblings and our extended family members have high regard for her. This consequently increased her confidence level as she grows. Beyond the home, the schools do reject these children, the school authority needs to be enlightened to accept them because that will go a long way to encourage the parents to believe in these children and take them to school. There was also the need for parents to take these children to hospital for proper check-up and advice because they should understand that it is not a spiritual matter as the society most times presumes. The society needs to be enlightened to see beyond the physical looks of these children and see the human and beauty in them.

TQ: You emphasized on the need for the children to be enrolled in school, how easy is it for these children to go to school or is there challenges associated to their enrolment in school?

Firstly, the school authorities don’t want see them because it poses challenges to the teachers; for instance, children with down syndrome have special learning method which the regular school teacher may not have requisite training and skills to cope with. They are slow in learning and the children with cerebral palsy sometimes are more of physical thing. A child that can’t sit down properly, it will be a herculean task for our conventional schools with over 100 pupils to accommodate them. Again, the attitude of other parents through isolating their children from these children with special needs. For instance, children with autism that have some character traits like heating their head on something or jumping around at times. These parents assume that such is transferable and can be transferred to their children, so they don’t want their children to associate with such children. So, they threaten to withdraw their children if such a child is retained by the school authority. Then again, there was a school I wanted to enroll my daughter, the principal told me that it was not as if the school can’t take my child but the teachers are not always comfortable with this kind of children and if he insisted and she stays, she won’t get the desired love from the teachers.

TQ: Since these children with special needs are highly discriminated upon in our conventional schools, how do these children acquire formal education?

We have some special schools in Abuja here.  We have school for the handicapped in Kuje, Abuja that has boarding facilities that accommodate all kinds of children with special needs, but it is not enough because it can’t cover the number of children with special needs in Abuja. Moreover, some of these children need physiotherapy and behavioural therapy at home before going to school. For instance, when a child is two years old, the child can’t fit into boarding facilities, so the child should be enrolled in a privately-owned school where the child will be firstly rehabilitated before the child will be enrolled into the big school. Sometimes, the child will be so rehabilitated to the extent that the child will have little or no problem to mainstream into big special schools. But the problem is that these private-owned special schools are very expensive. They charge between two hundred thousand naira (#200,000) to two hundred and fifty thousand naira (#250,000) monthly.

TQ:  Do you have an idea why these special needs are very expensive considering their importance?

Yes, it is the cost of running these special schools. The owners have to engage the services of many caregivers, physiotherapists, speech therapists, special educators. These professionals are far-fetched, we don’t have much of them in Nigeria. For instance, a physiotherapy charge as much as seven thousand naira (#7,000) per day for a child. Again, the teaching style is like one-on-one basis and each child require a teacher for close monitoring and guidance and there are other facilities put in place to enhance their learning environment. These are the reasons why these special school are expensive, they need external assistance to make it affordable for those parents who can’t afford it.

TQ: The right for education as enshrined in our constitution is a right for every child, going by your earlier explanations, it is expensive to train a child with special needs in schools, is there any assistance from government you are aware of to ensure that these children acquire formal education?

It is the right of these children as you said even the whole world is promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is preaching leave no one behind, so every child must be carried along in the area of education and health. We have Ministry of Education and Health, they are knowledgeable about these issues and the onus is on them to do the right thing. May I use this medium to call on well to do individuals, companies/organizations to come to the aid of these children with special needs. Today, organizations are putting money and resources on programmes which has moral issues meanwhile there are cogent issues begging for their attention. Nothing is too small. In our group, we are putting together our little funds to support physiotherapy of those children who their parents can’t afford it. One major problem in our group is that some of the parents are not working due to the severity of their children condition which needs constant attention. We are empowering these parents so that they can directly take care of their needs and that of their children. We appeal to individuals and organizations to come in and take any of these measures to reach out to these children; sponsor physiotherapy services of some of these children, award scholarship to some of them or economically empower their parents. For instance, one of the children who got scholarship from our group, the mother just has makeshift shop at Kurudu with six children. Most times, she can’t even afford transport fee to attend our programmes at Maitama from Kurudu.

TQ: Have your group approached any agency of government for collaboration?

For now, we have not but we are taking step to do that. Why we delayed in doing that we want to move from where we are to a reasonable extent before we seek on how we can be helped.

TQ: What are your plans to expand your scope?

We will soon embark on social media campaign. We will be talking to some radio stations to use their medium to spread the message; we have started going to schools and churches to sensitize them. We will be embarking on prayer/sensitization walk, engage in fundraising because we want to set up a centre that will be providing affordable education for these children with special needs, provide vocation training for children with learning disabilities and the mothers of these children. Presently, we have one of their mothers being trained as a special educator who will in turn train other mothers.

TQ: What advice do you have for parents who have children with special needs but due to some reasons, they are still hiding them?

According to the bible, children are gifts from God. It is a known fact that it is demoralizing if you have a child with special needs because having carried a child for nine months and it came out this way. But believe me, there is a purpose for whatever that has happened. You have to accept it, don’t live in denial, move on with the child, take responsibility, look beyond what the doctors told you about the child if their comments are negative. For instance, my own child and many other children in our group have lived beyond the expectations of the doctors, support the child, seek professional advice, join support group like ours, read up about your child’s condition, understand the child better and make informed decision about the child’s future.

 TQ: Please can you share with me some of those special attributes of these children with special needs?

They are very observant, intelligent, caring. They are first to notice something new around them; first to notice when you have a new pair of shoes, new hairdo and so on. They are peace lovers, they are very innovative.

TQ: Parting words?

I appreciate the work you are doing and God will reward your effort, keep it up.

Mr. Gboyega Ibukun Alesinloye is an assiduous person with disabilities with an impeccable achievement. Four two years ago Mr. Gboyega in Ebute Meta area of Lagos State was born into a humble of Mr. J.K Alesinloye and Late Mrs.M. M, Alesinloye with four other siblings Mrs Funmilola Joesph, Pastor Olakunle Alesinloye, Olasupo Alesinloye and Sunday Enitan Alesinloye. This happily married man who grew up around Agege/Ikeja Lagos have a degree in Microbiology and master’s degree in International Health and Development.,  In this interview, we try to dip into his life and how he managed to achieve so much in the face of disability.

TQ: What is your Educational background?

I actually had my first encounter at a school at the Atundaolu Handicap Primary School, Surulere but had to stop when my family moved away from the neighbourhood, including other family matters. After three years, I resumed at a different school, State Primary School, Iloro, Agege which was the beginning of my mainstream educational experience. From here, I went to St. Joseph Secondary School, Mangoro, Agege for my Senior Secondary Certificate and later attended the University of Ibadan for my first degree (BSc.) in Microbiology. After working for few years, I applied for and was awarded a Ford Foundation International Fellowship for my master of public health, MPH, degree in International Health and Development at America’s only school of tropical medicine – the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans.

TQ: How did you fund your education?

I would like to state that I had a very rough and financially-challenging background, hence, I am a product of the generous care of Catholic’s Daughters of Charity who largely took care of my secondary school support and that of my first degree. Perhaps, I’d share more on this with you some other time/avenue. My second degree in the U.S. was through the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program award.

TQ: To you recall when your disability occurred and how it happened?

No, but I was told I had Polio when I was less than a year old.

TQ: Did your disability affect your education in any way?

Yes, it affected the early years when I had to stop and stayed at home for three consecutive years. I only had some physical barriers/challenges afterwards since my subsequent schools were not special schools.

TQ: Do you recall facing problems of discrimination during your school days and now that you are working?

Not really but well, due to my personality and background, I am never so sensitive to picking up discriminatory attitudes and not good at reading meanings to attitudes and gestures. So, I won’t be able to highlight many discriminating cases/instances I faced personally during those days except those meted by structural barriers and peers; most of which had to do with being kept out of the loop of things pertaining to social gatherings, discussions and engagements. But I’ve not been able to pick up any from my work setting.

TQ: What are the other challenges you are facing presently in carrying out your daily activities?

This would be being looked down upon on the virtue of just living with a mobility disability by default, until they get wind of my status and personality.

TQ: Going by your peculiar experiences of discrimination and challenges you faced, proffer solutions in your own understanding how the lives of people with disabilities can be greatly improved?

I believe persons with disabilities can greatly protect themselves by having more positive disposition to life and having very strong and high level of self-esteem.

TQ: Please outline your achievements so far that you are living with disabilities?

Since I had Poliomyelitis as an infant, I’ve lived all my life with a disability. Except the grace of God, I’m not that good nor perfect nor with the affluent background to have achieved the much I have till date. I can’t really recall/outline all you would term “achievements,” but will try to the best of my understanding and view.

Most importantly, my education, and present status, has been a huge achievement for me considering my humble and challenged background. I remain the only one with a tertiary educational certificate in my family. I’ve had to go to school with empty stomach many times, walked tens of kilometers, and didn’t experience any post-class lesson/coaching. I’ve had to also do without some level of social engagements with peers in exchange for my studies which contributed immensely to passing my SSCE at a sitting. I also did something I never thought I’d do to raise money for my JAMB form – no, it’s not bad nor harmful but painful. Eventually, I entered and studied for my first degree without a strong backbone but a consistent support to cater for the major funding required from the Daughters of Charity.

In my final year, expected of every final year student, I started hunting for after-school opportunities such as post graduate opportunities. Then, I stumbled on a poster on Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program, Ford IFP, but wasn’t qualified as it required three years of post NYSC work experience. After working for about two and a half years, I decided to apply for the fellowship in 2007, though primarily to just get experience and prepare towards the following year. Little did I know that that was the chance God had kept for me. I applied, and among about two thousand other applicants, I was one of the cohorts of 16 that got it in 2008, had a year of Pre-Academic Trainings in-country and left the shores of the country for my dream of having an international degree in the U.S.A.

In order to honor the commitment I made to the Ford IFP, I returned to Nigeria after my studies. It wasn’t so easy readjusting to the system after staying away and enjoying the best of civilization, care and provision for people, and persons with disabilities in particular, for so long. But I had to constantly remind myself of the need to stick with and honor my commitment towards contributing my quota to the socio-economic development of the country, and specifically, the disability community.

As you’d expect and wonder, it has been so challenging and getting engaged professionally wasn’t so easy as well. But eventually, I reaped the benefits of networking and being nice to all when a friend of mine and fellow Nigerian in the U.S. (at Tulane) helped in securing a dream job here with one of the leading international organizations in public health having a tie with one of the past presidents of America.

TQ: What are the factors responsible for you recording so much success in spite of the enormous challenges?

I’d say strong belief in myself and my abilities, while being mindful of all my actions and activities in the past. I relate freely and fairly with everyone I encounter irrespective of age, economic status, education, gender and disposition about me. The climax of all these is my trust in God and His good plans for me in granting my expectations.

TQ: Are you married?

Yes

TQ: How did you find your wife?

At a function in Lagos to celebrate Christmas with Orphans and Vulnerable Children.

TQ: What are the challenges you faced in getting her to marry you?

Having to be together irrespective of disability considerations and discrimination

TQ: As one who has been able to shake off disability, what advice do you have for persons with disabilities?

Have a positive disposition to life and see beyond your disability (ies) for the inherent opportunities, skills and abilities in you. Concentrate more on developing yourself and skills to stand out and be a marketable asset in our challenging and competitive society at large.

TQ: What is your reaction on the state of a person with disability in Nigeria is it improving or declining, the bill, security and other national issues as it affect PWDs?

Well, compared to the stone age, I’d say it’s improving, but far from it in today’s age of modernization, especially amidst the enormous wealth we have as a country. Having experienced and enjoyed the kind of care and protection persons with disabilities get in a caring and responsible society and as a strong disability advocate in Nigeria, I can’t but remain sad about the level of discrimination and gross neglect, and violation of human rights persons with disabilities face in this country.

On several occasions, we have toiled and labored so hard, with enormous support from development partners, to develop, summit and garnered support for successful passage of the Nigerian Disability Bill by the National Assembly only for our former and incumbent presidents to blatantly refuse assenting to it. With the signing and ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, by Nigeria, we thought that would automatically translate to better lives for us through enhanced livelihood, employment cum social security, and importantly to the passage of the disability bill. Instead, we continued to be disappointed, ignored and treated as insignificant, unfortunate and inconsequential entity within our own country.

In cases of emergencies, including insecurity, political unrests, riots etc, we, persons with disabilities, are mostly affected, and we remain the most vulnerable and at risk. People and authorities completely forget about persons with disabilities but focus more on women and children, without any regard for those among them living with disabilities. At a time, I approached the National Emergency Management Agency on the inclusion of persons with disabilities but nothing was done and no PWD was even employed nor contracted on this, to the best of my knowledge.

It’s a well-known and acknowledged fact that the passage of any law or policy does not automatically translate to better lives. Yet, it’s about the most important step towards such good life as it establishes and enshrines existence to such entity covered for protection, provision and correction. The existing of a Nigerian Disability Act, with an implementing commission, will enlist us as one of the progressive societies in the world and further stamps our mark on the path of greatness and as a leading example of a country truly worthy of a seat on the UN Security Council, and will in no time make it permanent.

TQ: What is your career aspiration or rather life aspiration?

Hmmnn….I wish to get the needed support to earn a PhD in my career path as soon as possible.

TQ: Parting words/Final words

Adegboyega Ibukunoluwa Ajani Ebenezer Alesinloye is very passionate about seeing a Nigerian society build upon equity and justice, caring for the vulnerable groups and respecting the fundamental human rights of her citizens borne out of a strong, proactive and responsible democratic values, virtues and willingness.

I’d love to reiterate the fact that “Basic Life’s Troubles and Problems are Mere Challenges to Test the Sincerity of One’s Purpose in Life

Mohammed Abba Isa was born in Maiduguri, the State Capital of Borno on the 12^th of December, 1972 and was brought up in the same city.  He hailed from Yunusari Local Government of Yobe State. He attended to Bullunkutu Primary School, Maiduguri, from 1980-1986, thereafter; he proceeded to Government Senior Science Secondary School Monguno where he completed his secondary school in 1992. He obtained a Bachelor Degree in Public Administration from the University of Maiduguri in 2013 and Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management. He worked with Chad Basin National Park Maiduguri, Borno State, for a period of 6 years, from 1994 – 2000 and later he worked as an Administrative Assistant with Yobe State Community-Based Poverty Reduction Project (World Bank Assisted) now Community and Social Development. He is a family man who with one Daughter Fatima Mohammed Isa who was had by his wife that abandoned him when he had an accident in 2006. He is happily married now with beautiful Zarah Muhammad Umar.  he was pioneer/founder/former State Chairman of Joint National Association of persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Yobe State Chapter; He is the APC Zonal Disable leader North East and State Chairman, Spinal Cord Injury Association of Nigeria, Yobe State Chapter. He is the Executive Director, Rebuilding Hope on Wheels Initiatives (RHOWI)Yobe state Chapter, it isNGO/DPO/CSO that has been transforming the lives of PWDs and advocating for inclusive development in Yobe State. He has attended several courses in development work and civic engagements both in United State of America, United Arab Emirate UAE and other African Countries. He is a certified member of different professional bodies and organizations, UN member with CSCM of Cosp11 to UNCRPD, Member Institute of Public managers and Administrators IPMA, Members Chartered Institute of Project Management CIPM, Member Amnesty Internationally Org. For human rights, Member Yobe Network of CSOs of Nigeria, Cluster member with CISLAC for PWDs, Member Kpankpando Foundation care for less Privileges and Member Christopher foundation for PWDs UK.

He has some fellowship awards, Drew University USA, New Jersey, North East Intellectual Entrepreneurship Fellowship NEIEF, Bridge Fellow award on intersect between Sustainable Development Goals and UN convention for the rights of persons with disabilities SDS/UNCRPD.

He has some leadership awards of excellent, Youth Ambassador by Zudam and Maigoje Foundation, Leadership award by Garkuwan Nakasassu foundation Kano, Ambassador of Peace by NEYIF in collaboration with NERI, YARI network award in completion of course on concept of Human Rights.

He is one of the three Nigerian trained experts on United Nation Convention of rights for persons with disabilities UNCRPD and Sustainable Development Goals with Implicit reference to Persons with Disabilities certified by BRIDGE International Disability Alliance (IDA), International Disability Development Consortium (IDDC) and World Disability’s Caucus.

He is also one of only two Nigerians selected as members to Civil Society Coordination Mechanism CSCM on Conference of State Parties 11 to UNCRPD by International Disability Alliance (IDA).

In this interview, he shared with us how he had a spinal cord injury in an accident and other of his life experiences.

Do you recall when your disability occurred and how it happened?

My disability occurred in the course of my sacrifice. As the eldest son in our extended family, I was the bread winner. When our father was alive, he was a civil servant serving at the INEC office in Maiduguri. After his death, his gratuity was not paid to us for almost 3 years. Therefore, as the eldest child, I began to pursue his benefit. In the course of our pursuit, we were lastly told that it is only in INEC headquarters in Abuja that we could be attended to, so I started traveling to Abuja. I was in INEC headquarters for 3 times but all my efforts didn’t yield any fruit. When it seems all hope has been lost, we got a phone call from one of their Staff and I was told to quickly come to Abuja assuring me of his assistance on the matter so that they will pay us in the next quarter of the year. On that fateful day 16th October, 2006, as I was on my way to Abuja, I was involved in a ghastly motor accident, along Bauchi to Jos Road, in which I sustained a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) that confined me permanently to a wheel chair after a series of treatment and rehabilitation in Germany and India with the sponsorship from Yobe State Government. After my self-expulsion and have reported to my office since. I thank God for my life. Life is all about living.

Did your disability affect your education in any way?

To me disability is about mindset, zeal and ability to aspire in life. The time I can say my disability affected my education was during my trauma period, I was an undergraduate when I had accident. I went back to school after years of treatment as a result of my accident and I went back as a wheel chair user. Gracefully, I obtained my BSc (Hons) in Public administration in 2013.

How did you fund your education?

I funded my education through self-sponsor through monthly earnings.

Do you recall facing problems of discrimination during your school days and now that you are working?

No, I have never experienced any discrimination during my studies at the University, either from colleagues or lecturers. In fact, I was recognized as a Special student. They gave me assistances that persons with disabilities require. Sometimes, lecturers would even change venues of our lectures because of me if the building was not accessible or wheel chair complied. But, as a person with disability in Nigeria, discrimination is inevitable. Nigerian society has a wrong notion about disability. Nigerians believe that the best for someone with disability is street begging.

What are the other challenges you are facing presently in carrying out your daily activities?

The Greatest challenge I am facing are inaccessibility and discrimination. When you are denied access to social interaction, you have been discriminated. For instance, I cannot have access to public buildings like banks, Market places, State offices, libraries, schools and transportation systems. Architectural designs and construction of public estates and other community houses are exclusively inaccessible to the PWDs. It is difficult for PWDs to use most public buildings without lift and ramps. I have never used my ATM card on any machine by myself. I always have to get helping hands. Transportation is very important in ones day to day activities or in carrying out business transactions. If orderliness is restored, and accessibility facilities provided at our bus stops, railway stations and airports, the PWDs will embrace life with more confidence. And if there is legislation, which provides that all vehicles imported for the purpose of public transportation must have accessibility facilities, then the PWDs will be able to make remarkable progress in the very competitive world.

Going by your peculiar experiences of discrimination and challenges you faced, proffer solutions in your own understanding how the lives of people with disabilities can be greatly improved?

The problems facing People Living with Disabilities (PWDs) in this country are enormous, and these are militating against their productivity and performance. There is need to sensitize the governments, individuals, private organizations and civil society organizations to create conducive atmosphere for social, economic and political integration of the PWDs. The voice of the persons with disabilities must be heard loud and clear. In my opinion, the lives of PWDs can be greatly improved if opportunities for local stakeholders to meet and share ideas with counterpart from other countries in any conference, symposium and articulate positions that would proper solutions and recommendations that would enable both the private and public sectors to deal adequately and effectively with the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in Nigeria.

Please outline your achievements so far that you are living with disabilities?

So far my achievement in disability communities cannot be over emphasized. As we are all aware, JONAPWD has been existing for the past 20 years in this country, but Yobe state was excluded, persons from the state were not given the opportunity to participate. I am the founder of JONAPWD in Yobe State to become a State Chapter in 2012. Being the State Chairman, during the period under review we have sensitized the Stakeholders, Private organizations, media organizations, community leaders, religious leaders and CSO about the objectives of JONAPWD in the State and LGAs. We advocated for the inclusion of persons with disabilities into Special Empowerment programmes like Sure-P and vocational trainings by the State Government. It is in my reign that Yobe State University gives free education to persons with disabilities in the State.  Through our courtesy to the office of SSG we advocated for the empowerment of 1000 PWDs in order to stop them from street begging, establishment of disability commission, Housing Schemes, Rehabilitation of workshops, Establishment of special schools for the visually impaired persons in the state capital, and we have been assured by the State government that all will be implemented. Through my contact with the NGO to Partner with JONAPWD, SIR EMEKA OFFOR FOUNDATION distributed 75 tricycles and 25 crutches to PWDs in Yobe State

What are the factors responsible for you recording so much success in spite of the enormous challenges?

Is Courage and determination, if you believe in Allah (SWA) you will lack nothing. So if persons with disabilities will have this mindset, they can harness their potentials and make out something good for themselves. So disability cannot be and will never be an obstacle in spite of the enormous challenges we are facing.

Are you married?

Yes. I was married before my disability with one daughter Fatima. But, unfortunately, I got separated with Fatima’s mum in 2011. Then in 2014, I got married to a daughter of a former head of Service in Yobe State Government, Late Mohammed Goni Umar.

If Yes, How did you find your wife?

I married my present wife after my first wife whom I married before my disability left me as a result of my predicament. In fact, it was a very painful moment in my life trying to recover from my spinal cord injury, my wife left me. But the disappointment has turned a blessing. God substituted her with a younger and more beautiful one who is also from a highly respected family. She agreed and married me with my present condition. She is a graduate of Estate Management, lecturing at the Federal Polytechnic Damaturu. Her father was one of the respected figures in the State, and a man of his words. I did not face any challenge in marrying her. The only thing I heard was when some people contacted her father and asked him ‘BABA, do you know that the persons you are giving out your daughter for marriage is GURGU(a person with disability)?’. Then Baba said he was aware, and added ‘what happened to him can happen to anybody, he told them that he asked his daughter 3 times but she confirmed that she is in love with him. My own is to pray for them and may Allah bless their union, I have no objection’. Four months after our wedding, my wife’s father died after a brief illness. May his soul rest in perfect peace and may  Allah bless him with jannatul firdaus. Ameen.

What are the challenges you faced in getting her to marry you?

I did not get any challenges in marrying my present wife Zarah Muhammad Umar.

As one who has been able to shake off disability, what advice do you have for persons with disabilities?

My words of advice to persons living with disabilities are that they should accept the reality; disability is not inability in any aspect of life. They should not allow the situation they find themselves to weigh them down. As you may already be aware, persons living with disabilities, physical, visual, learning related or otherwise, are perhaps the most marginalized and discriminated segment of our society today. They are often excluded/neglected from participating actively in the socio-economic and political growth of the nation. The common perception of disability intervention either on the side of governments, organizations and individuals is often in terms of charity and welfare, therefore to empower them to enable them build capacity and contribute their quota to the development of their immediate societies and self-actualization have so far become a mirage. This consequently portrays them as a liability to the society. Lastly, my advice to PWDs is that they should try their best to live an independent life. This is not to say that you will not ask for help when needed, but do not entirely depend on others for your daily survival. This will reduce the discrimination. More importantly ‘he who must have friends, must himself be friendly to forestall incidences of discrimination.’ Be friendly and always have a positive outlook.

What is your reaction on the state of a person with disability in Nigeria is it improving or declining, the bill, security and other national issues as it affect PWDs?

Nigeria as one of the Signatory members for the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities failed to meet up the expectation/aspirations of 28m PWDs in Nigeria, I am not happy with GEJ for not signing National Disability bill into law when it was passed by the 7^th Assembly.  If there is legislation all that we are advocating for; inclusion, discrimination free, accessibility to public building will be a lot easier. The bill is to protect our rights, give us direction and sense of belonging and self-reliance. The signing of disability bill into law will transform PWDs psychologically, physically, socially and on other National issues that affect PWDs. Therefore I am calling on the present administration that as part of the APC manifestation under section 22 is the quickest implementation of policy and passage of National Disability Bill into law by President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR. I am calling on the government to expedite action for the benefit and well being of 28m PWDs in Nigeria.

What is your career aspiration or rather life aspiration?

Reading and travelling

Parting words/Final words?

Information dissemination is very vital and also a backbone in any organization. The Qualitative magazine I believe is set up bridge the communication gap between PWDs and the nation building. It makes us proud as the media print organization that is communicating to the world about our plights and the way they affect us. I will suggest that the magazine should be distributed to all geo-political zones of the country to enable it reach every nooks and crannies of the country. Kudos to The Qualitative Magazine.