The death of Prof. Jibril Isa Diso, was a rude shock to several individuals and organisations in disability community who viewed the first visually impaired professor in Nigeria as an erudite scholar, and disability rights advocate who prior to his death made several significant impacts on the lives of PWDs.
Among the individuals was Mr David Anyaele, a foremost disability rights activist in Nigeria who in a statement released on Sunday, described the visually impaired professor as an inspiration to many of the disability rights activist in his words of tribute.
“I received with sadness the news of the death of Prof. Jibril Isa Diso, an erudite scholar, and disability rights advocate.” David said
Recalling the first encounters he had with Prof. Diso, the Chairman, Abia Commission for the Welfare of the Disabled Persons narrated, “I met Prof. Diso early 2007 for the first time during the disability community in Nigeria’s first ever advocacy encounter with the then Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Morris Iwu in Abuja. That event turned the beginning of our relationship.
“Late Prof. Diso contributed in no small measure to the campaign and struggles for the passage of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 and the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.
“He hardly missed meetings, and whenever he speaks at advocacy meetings our adversaries bows. His scholarly perspectives on disability rights and development during engagement with stakeholders demonstrate to all that disability issues are not conversation for street beggars.
“He was an inspiration to many of the disability rights activist in Nigeria that met him. He will surely be missed by the disability community in Kano State and Nigeria as a whole.”
The Disability Activist prayed God to console and grant his bereaved family and the entire disability community in Nigeria the fortitude to bear the loss.
INN reports that Jibril’s death was confirmed on Friday by Lamara Garba, Head of the Directorate of Public Affairs , Bayero University, Kano.
The first visually impaired professor in Nigeria was born on 22 April 1955 and died, July 2024. Until his death, Jibril was a lecturer in the Department of Special Education at Ado Bayero University, Kano.
He was born at Diso quarters of Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State. Jibril began his education in 1962 and completed his primary school in 1969. He was a native of Kano State, an academician and a former adviser to the erstwhile Governor of Kano State.