By Oyeleke Bernice
Akintobi Oluwatobi is a postlingually deafened adult. He and his wife are drama ministers and pioneers Christian Deaf drama ministry. In this episode, he shared with Inclusive News Network how learning sign language gave him a voice and how it has made him a lecturer at Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo.
Read the story below and share to inspire others:
I am Akintobi Oluwatobi, my journey into deafness began when I was aged 15 due to an illness while in JSS 3. I spent 4 months in the hospital and only lived through the grace of God.
All efforts by my family to ensure I hear again proved abortive. After I got better, I returned to school (my regular hearing school) to finish my secondary education. Due to my inability to hear, the number of my friends reduced, I felt isolated and it seemed I was the only one in the world. I managed to see through senior school, things were really challenging for me. My dreams seemed shattered, all hope seemed lost. It was like the end of the world.
Then came a fateful day, a family friend visited my parents and found out about me. She introduced Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo to my parents. I will never forget that night my mum told me, ‘Tobi, you’re going to school’. I looked at her, my eyes burning with so much anger and asked her ‘am I starting primary 2 again?’
In 2006, I got admission into FCE (Sp), Oyo purposely to learn to communicate in Sign Language. That was my starting point!
Throughout my first and second year at Sped, I disassociated myself from deaf people on campus. I found it hard to accept my deafness. I remember vividly the night I started learning sign language with Joy of Signing – a Sign Language book. I wept bitterly, almost soaked the whole book with my tears. Behold, within three months I was signing. The hope that once seems gone, the dreams that once seems shattered, the future that once seems blurry all came back again. Sign Language gave me a voice!
After my NCE program, I pressed on for my B.Sc. In 2013, I processed admissions into University of Ilorin but wasn’t admitted. Same year, FCE (Sp), Oyo (my Alma Mata) commenced degree program in affiliation with University of Ibadan. I obtained the form, and thankfully I was admitted to study Educational Management/Mathematics. Another challenging episode, being the only deaf in the first set there was no sign language interpreter provided. I was fortunate to have a friend and course mate (Muhydeen Emdy Ogunola) who could sign, with him I found learning more comfortable though not without challenges because he minored in English Language. In 2015, I graduate with a second class (lower division). In 2016, I was posted to Sokoto State for my one year mandatory Service (NYSC). Presently, I have my Masters degree in view.
I taught in a few special schools in Lagos. In 2017, I got appointment as a Lecturer at Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, School of Education, Department of General Studies Education where I teach Mathematics.
To the glory of God I overcame. Sign language illuminated and brightened my once fading and blurry future. Knowing sign Language and having people learn to speak your language is a blessing. Love, acceptance and positive attitude from parents and the community, education and believe is the pill to cure deafness.