The last few days have recorded an important milestone for people with disabilities in the country, and in particular, the deaf people in Anambra State: the first International Deaf Awareness Week was meritoriously held in the state of Anambra attracting eminent personalities and advocates and stakeholders of persons with disabilities. An inclusive state governor in Dr. Willie Obiano of Anambra State instituted a policy that makes provisions of free education at all levels to learners with deafness, including generous provisions of automatic employment opportunities for the deaf in Anambra. In addition, the governor has pledged supply of sign language books that enhance a fuller incorporation of the manual language into the culture of this category of the disabled. Lastly, our nation was dumbstruck as it witnessed a deaf from Anambra showcases his locally-built truck.
In fact, the deaf people of Anambra can now go anywhere, communicate with the sign language and expect that not only are they taken seriously, but that other people also learn to communicate back with them with the manual language. And soon, we might see sign language, in addition to English, become an official language in the “light of the nation” state, and all over Nigeria. That would be an extraordinary event!
However, events in these past days are the stuff of occurrences that we have been calling for- measures that demonstrate concerns for the disabled and provide for them an enabling environment and institution that make people with disabilities to compete and succeed accordingly. We are, yet, proud to see events, personalities and policies that include the excluded, give voice to the gagged and hears to the unheard.
Governor Obiano is a tremendous man with an amazing spirit. He understands vulnerability. With a remarkable emotional intelligence, he understands shame, as well as what it means for individuals to have the skills and attitude to compete economically and succeed, but cannot because of a disability, because the decks have been stacked against them. For this incredible feat- for doing something no governor in the history of the state has done, we salute the Governor Obiano’s acts of statesmanship and kindness. But importantly, we extend our congratulations to our deaf brothers and sisters in Anambra state.
On a sunny day of July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush of the United States signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), aimed to meet four goals for Americans with disabilities: equal opportunity, full participation in the community, self-sufficient living, and economic independence. At the signing ceremony, Mr. Herbert Bush, who is now over 90 years on a wheelchair bellowed, “Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.” The wall did come down. But it has continued to. More and more Americans with various disabilities have experienced significant personal and social advancements across schools, workplaces and communities in the United States, thanks to ADA and various legislative polices at the state level.
This is the same attitude that we want- an inclusive attitude that brings everyone together for the accomplishment of fuller, riper national regeneration and renewal across our beloved federation.
We need a passionate civil society. But we also need passionate governments that’s capable of advancing disability interests, eliminating discrepancies that have been stacked against individuals with disabilities, so that not only are we making sure that Nigerians with disabilities enjoy full, equal opportunity, full participation in the community, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency, but as well as their capacity to obtain health care and have access to institutions and structures with relative ease and speed.
Across the Federation, we want to see more of the incredible and life-changing events that have taken place in the state of Anambra in the past few days. We want to see other state governors emulate Governor Obiano and make ambitious policies and actions that make lives better for the disabled. After all, that is what government does best- doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves, equipping persons and communities, as well as creating an enabling environment where everyone, regardless of gender or disability can succeed. State governments, stakeholders and individuals across the country are encouraged to do more in promoting the exceptional interests of the population of the disabled that ultimately a lot of us may soon join.