2020 was a year that turned the world on its head! COVID ravished communities, impoverished families and turned the global village into an unusual state. The year 2020 was a disproportionately difficult year for people with disabilities. COVID-19 did further aggravate the challenges of this disadvantaged population. For the most vulnerable members of society with massive personal and institutional difficulties, and trouble engaging with the larger, non-disabled society, the difficulties of People with Disabilities (PWDs) were compounded by a raging pandemic and a New Normal!
Several, including people with visual impairment, persons with hearing impairment, and individuals with physical disabilities who use wheelchairs experienced a disparate amount of physical and psychological ordeal. Deaf people.in particular, faced limited “jail time”, arrests and battery, as well as job losses and hunger, according to findings in a recent piece of literature!
The year 2021 fared much better. Today, no doubt—thanks to the unprecedented efforts of various civil organizations, disability advocates, disability researchers, and educationists, and kind individuals, the dynamics for people with disabilities have greatly changed, and more and more persons with disabilities across the World are now being armed with the tools and machinery to compete with fairness, to determine their destiny under more transparent, more inclusive governments and societies around the world.
But the gap widens—between where we are and where we ought to be as Africa’s largest disability community. Despite our fine brains and our uniqueness, members of the disability community in Nigeria remain a minority– with significant safety and governance challenges, ranging from high unemployment, poor information/knowledge acquisition, molestation, and emotional/sexual abuse of the Deaf child, and social and physical and psychosocial harassment.
What the media hardly says is that people with disabilities must take responsibility for their own lives. We can improve our own resources and opportunities by taking personal responsibilities for our own lives. If we want a better 2022, may we consider abandoning the following habits and behaviours that are peculiar to people with disabilities!
- Stop looking down on yourself: You’re a human being first and foremost. You’re an individual. It’s important to maintain a healthy image of yourself. Excellent self-esteem is a prelude to a successful life. Of course, while poor confidence and emotional problems are two of the effects of a disability, fret not. Everyone has to go through that phase. You can seek confidence in your disability by a function of your competence and ability. To maintain a healthy self-image, three things must be vehemently resisted in life: “Don’t ever look down on yourself”, “Don’t ever allow anyone to look down on you”, and “Don’t ever look down on anyone”
- Talk less and talk slow: Stop talking too much. Talkativeness is a common habit, particularly among Deaf people. When you say so much, chances are that one, you’re saying nonsense, two, you’re discussing irrelevant things, and three, your communications aren’t quite clear and understandable. When you say little in a slow, cool tempo, you’ll be talking sense—at least 99% of the time. Also, when your mind is quiet, you are more observant, more perceptive, and able to think more clearly. Because you’re not concerned with speaking, your focus and attention are on listening. You will hear things and gain insights that you might not even have anticipated
- Stop being alone. Quit the isolation. You cannot be alone all the time; it’s killing. Don’t be a lone ranger; ‘hard to achieve your dreams. Do not be isolated. Isolation potentially sets you up for attacks and damaging criticisms. Instead, mingle. Build and deepen relationships with selected few who share your core character. Make smart investments in friendships and watch yourself become grow all around. In short, break out of your eggshell and collaborate. Get out with your uniqueness and your skills. You’re as valuable as anybody. Share your individuality with the world.
- Stop the excessive anger. There’s nothing wrong with getting angry. Anger isn’t necessarily bad. Little, reasonable anger is fine. However, excessive, out-of-order anger is destructive to your physical and mental health, including, importantly our capacity to achieve our goals. Inappropriate anger, or more simply, anger that is not appropriately expressed, can disrupt relationships, affect thinking and behaviour patterns, and create a variety of physical, mental, and psychosocial imbalances. We should cultivate emotional intelligence. We should use a meaningful amount of anger in very tense situations. It is good for our socioeconomic survival.
- Stop oversleeping: A good night’s sleep is indeed essential for health. But oversleeping has been linked to a bunch of medical and psychological problems, including depression and death. That you’re in a wheelchair means not you have to be restful all the time. There are athletes and sportspersons, including ordinary individuals who are very active and are usually up and going most of the time. Disability isn’t a reason to oversleep or sleep in every morning because you feel sorry for yourself. You must summon the courage to get out of bed every morning for a cause that’s bigger than yourself. If you haven’t, you must find a reason to. Find time to read more. Learn. Seek. Reading and seeking provide you with an enormous amount of relevant information that improves your economic prospects.
- Spend less: Don’t try and keep with the Kardashians. You aren’t anybody else. You are you. Quit the unhealthy competition. You needn’t have what others have, must you? No, it’s not a must. Evaluate your income. Is your income enough to keep up with your spending habits? Take a look at what you bring in and determine if you need to spend less. The economy of Nigeria isn’t very robust right now and the majority of Nigerians are going through hard times. So, why would you want to spend more? Make a list of the family’s most important expenses while you have less income. This means things you must have or do. Then hit the ground running.
- Stop cheating. There’re no shortcuts to prosperity! There’s never been! There are processes: Hard Work and a passion to learn and we all have that ability—abilities, and talents to use for providing value for society. Then society will reward us for creating value. It isn’t true that you can become rich or successful overnight. Success, which may mean achieving one’s goals and sowing seeds that benefit others—isn’t a quick, fast thing. People relied implicitly upon Abraham Lincoln’s honesty, integrity, and impartiality. As a member of the Illinois legislature and later in his law practice, Lincoln took advantage of his reputation for honesty and fairness to help broaden his constituency. Years later, after many failed attempts to be President, Lincoln became President of the United States and perhaps, the greatest of all presidents in American history.
- Stay out of other people’s business. How other people live their lives or the choices they make doesn’t concern you. Keep your nose out of people’s business. Mind your own beeswax. Quit judging. If your name isn’t on it, don’t touch it. Minding your own business presents more learning opportunities. In fact, minding your own business when it matters is a good stress management strategy. Try it. Don’t meddle in the business of others and watch yourself become more productive all around.
 Now, be happy. Cheer up; things aren’t as bad as they seem to be. Be optimistic about your capacity to meet the future. Take a risk. Start a business. Return to school. Believe in yourself, and communicate with clarity and politeness. There is a season for everything. Outclass the season and become strong. Live! There is a whole lot to live for.
May the magic and beauty that come with this special season fill your heart and home with love, joy, and every happiness.
I wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.