The outspoken Nike Akinbola was born in the mid-70s in Lagos state and was brought up in the same State but her original is traced to Ondo state. This activist with disability was without any form of disability, until 10 months when polio struck.
It was tough for her parents raising her due to her disability but that didn’t deter them so they saw her through education, she started from a special school in Lagos, Surulere (Atundaolu), where her performances were excellent. But then her parents were advised by a doctor to enroll her in a regular school. She was at the top of her class in Airforce Primary School, she later proceeded to the secondary arm of the school, where passed all her papers in SSCE in one sitting.
She wished to be a lawyer but her parents felt that she can’t cope with facilities available in the University to withstand the rigorous challenges associated to the logistics of studying law in the University. So, she got admission into in Yaba college of Technology (Yabatech) where she acquired HND in Secretarial Administration, she proceeded to (Lagos State University) LASU and acquired a Post Graduate diploma in Management and later she got Masters in Business Administration (MBA)(Finance Option) from (Ladoke Akintola University of Science and Technology) LAUTECH.
Nike had her mandatory youth service in the year 2000 at Govt house, Abia State Umuahia, going by her passion of empowering fellow persons with disabilities (PWDs), she embarked on a community project where she assisted the indigent PWDS & war victims in the state. This effort earned her a Meritorious Award with automatic employment in the state. She got employed and I was working in the Liaison office in Victoria Island, Lagos when she got a call to serve again, the then President Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR), nominated her alongside Barr. Danlami Basharu to represent PWDs as delegates at the 2005 National political reform conference (Confab2005). It was still in the course of discharging this duty that she received a mail that she has awarded the NYSC Presidential Award 2005 for outstanding service.
Nike Akinbola fondly called ‘Nykson’ by her friends and admirers is now a proud Public Servant and an advocate for the rights of PWDs especially women and Girls with Disabilities (WGWDs) which arise from her experiences and challenges as a woman with disability. She has engaged herself in various humanitarian services and activities to contribute to Nigerians with disabilities having equal rights and access to a better and inspiring life.
She have held several important position in disability movement such as the Acting Secretary of Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCAIN) between 2003-2005, a delegate representing PWDs at the National Political Reform Conference in Abuja (CONFAB 2005) where she held the other delegates and the Nation in awe with her presentations on the plights of Nigerians with disabilities and the urgent need to sign the then Disability Bill into law.
In 2010, she embarked on a study tour to Nairobi-Kenya on disability and HIV/AIDS. On her return, she formed an NGO, Alliance for Disability & HIV/AIDS (ADH) to advocate for the sexual health and Rights of Women with disabilities.
In our chat with this lovely wife and a mother of two lovely girls, we discussed the challenges faced by women with disabilities and exclusion of PWDs in the campaign against the spread of COVID-19.
TQM: How did your disability occurred?
I was 10months old when polio struck, I was duly immunized with evidence but with expired polio vaccine. I developed temperature, started convulsing and I was rushed to the hospital where the nurse on duty injected me to calm the convulsing condition, the resultant effect is what I have today
TQM: Growing up as girls with disability, how did you cope with disability in your family, community and school?
It was both tough and challenging. My parents, siblings never treated me specially but growing up as a young girl among my peers was highly stigmatizing. In my school. I had two group of classmates, those who never treated differently and those who never believed that I could be where I am today.
TQM: Be specific, what kind of stigmatization did you face growing up?
It was basically in the area of Nigeria’s educational facilities. I remembered when I gained admission to read computer science, but the school turned me down on the ground that their learning facilities were upstairs and they weren’t willing to make adjustments to suit me.
This continued when I gained admission to read Sociology in Ondo State University, the challenge there was that the distance from hostels & lecture centers were very far so there was no way I can cope.
So, when I eventually got admitted to Yabatech, I decided to take the bull by the horn when same challenge arose. I insisted I will use the staircase to access the lecture centers but then I was told that the hostels were for foreign & final students. So, I walked up to the office of the dean for student affairs and made a case for students with disabilities (SWDs) argued that SWDs should be the first to considered in the allocation of hostel facilities. It was tough but eventually they saw good reason to my argument and I was asked to choose a room and hostel of my choice. I was there until I graduated. That singular advocacy opened way for other students with disabilities have rooms allocated to them and in where they prefer.
TQM: We are aware that you have an NGO, can you tell us name and objectives of the NGO?
My NGO is Alliance for Disability and HIV(ADH). I founded the NGO to advocate for sexual health and right of PWDs especially WGWDs and also to ensure Inclusive HIV/AIDs/STDs Campaign.
TQM: In brief what are the achievements of your NGO?
Awareness has been created that PWDs are more vulnerable to STDs and as such should be carried along in treatment facilities rather than discriminated/stigmatized. Through our intervention, NACA in collaboration with Positive Action for Treatment of AIDs (PATA) is developing disability friendly HIV/AIDS services.
TQM: As an advocate and experienced woman with disability, can you take us through the challenges faced by WGWDs in Nigeria?
Being a woman in a patriarchal society like ours is challenging, now being a woman with one form of disability or the other in same society is double jeopardy. As a woman with a disability, our economic status is way off it, poverty is associated with disabilities. Without a viable economic status, we are discretely silenced even in the family, having to depend on another to make a decision on how you want to live your life. Accessing our health care facilities is a tall dream for most of us, and even when u succeed in that, attitudinal and emotional stigmatization shows its ugly face.
How many WWDs are included in the affirmative action campaign for women, no equal playing ground for us in the political sphere. Even, against all odds when we struggle to get there, society still don’t believe we can do it.
TQM: There is a saying that WGWDs suffer most when it comes to Gender Based Violence (GBV), is it true and if it is true, please tell us more about it?
Absolutely yes. WGWDs are the worst affected when it comes to GBV, owing to the fact that most of us depend either on our caregivers or intimate partners to survive or carry out our daily routine.
It is either you comply or you are abandoned to your fate.
Let me give u a scenario, imagine a girl with psychosocial disorder or a quadriplegia who depends either on family to help her through puberty or adolescent stage of her life, a caregiver/ family decides that to save them from unending stress of cleaning up the girl monthly opted for removal of the lining of the womb to stop the monthly flow (endometrial ablation) without considering the future of the girl. Or even tricking a blind girl into FGM.
A woman with a physical disability being denied access to her mobility aid as a form of punishment for not granting her spouses’ monetary or otherwise request. Many more that WGWDs go through and the society see nothing wrong with it but that we should rather keep quiet and be grateful that we even have someone to ‘accept’us.
TQM: What are the challenges WGWDs are facing when it comes to SHR?
Numerous which I will categorize into:
Attitudinal: Negatives and Wrong mindsets that WGWDs should not have any business going into relationship nor getting pregnant.
Environmental: Inaccessible nature of our health facilities and services such as the presence of staircases and lack of ramps/rails.
Communication: Lack of sign language interpreters, disability inclusive trained healthcare providers
Economic: Lack/ inadequate financial empowerment to meet their needs
TQM: What is your take when it comes to relationship with emphasis on WGWDs?
Simply put, WGWDs are not asexual. We are sexual beings too, ready to give & receive love. Our sexuality isn’t determined by our disability.
TQM: As an activist speaking for PWDs especially WGWDs, what is your advice towards ameliorating these challenges?
Building and implementing an inclusive society is key. Like the developed countries, what makes a difference for them is that they built an enabling environment for all irrespective of disability or ability.
TQM: As an activist, what is your strong message to WGWDs, the public and government?
To WGWDs, my message is don’t give anyone reason(s) to talk you down. You are first a human being, then a woman/girl before the disability set in. Take your stand against discrimination/stigmatization. Speak out whenever you feel abused, don’t stay in an abusive relationship because of what the society will think of you. People must talk, don’t mind them, do what is right for you.
To the public and government, please remember that disability doesn’t respect anybody, if it doesn’t happen now, it may happen later. Stop the discrimination, do away with all form of stigmatization and emotional blackmail.
State actors and our lawmakers please should see to the implementation of Nigeria Disability Act, 2018
TQM: Do you think that implementation of Nigeria Disability Act will go a long way towards ameliorating the challenges faced by PWDs especially WGWDs?
Yes, because it is all encompassing and justiciable
TQM: There has been public outcry that PWDs are not carried along in the campaign towards curbing the spread of COVID-19, what advice can you proffer to ensure that PWDs are not left out of the campaign?
COVID-19 came as a rude shock to the whole world and it is sad that with all the campaign on the various media and social media platforms, none of them is inclusive of PWDs in Nigeria.
WGWDs are more vulnerable, more at risk to this pandemic. We go to market, to work, attend to the home front yet no enough information to guide us on how to protect ourselves or even access facilities for services, if need be. My prayer is that none of us will be victim of this pandemic, but please let’s help ourselves by staying at home, stay isolated from people, stay safe & observe basic hygiene. If you have to purchase basic needs for the home, please get someone to help you out, it may cost you more but you are better safe at home.
TQM: Any other relevant information you wish to share?
I read on the facebook wall of a senior colleague/friend that an arm of govt of the country she’ is presently residing in called to ask what basic necessities she will be needing during the Covid-19 stay back at home period. That’s awesome, right? Will it be too much to ask from our Ministry of humanitarian affairs, Disaster Management and Social development to reach out to Persons with disabilities timely and provide for them. Just my thought.
TQM: Your Parting Words if any?
None of us knows what tomorrow holds in stock for us, so let’s be emphatic and loving to the less privileged around us. Implementing the Nigeria Disability Act (NDA) 2018 with the establishment of the assisting commission as the act stipulated will not bring a loss to the Nigerian government but rather build a better tomorrow for us all. Let’s do the Right!
