Mr. Aliyu Usman, National President of the Joint National Association for Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), has formally recognized the newly formed Deaf-blind Association, the “Deaf-blind Support Initiative,” as Nigeria’s 8th disability cluster.
The declaration was made while he congratulated the newly appointed National Executives during the association’s launch with support from Disability Rights Fund.
Usman commended the new Executive Council members, urging them to be thorough in locating individuals with deaf-blindness across the nation.
INN reports that Mr. Solomon Okelola was named as the inaugural President of the new association, Miss Itoha Okoduwa as the Vice President, Mr. John Shodiya as the National Public Relations Officer, and Mrs. Evelyn Egoho as the National Women Leader of the newly founded association.
Earlier, Miss Itoha Okoduwa, Vice President of the Deaf-blind Support Initiative, presented the association’s vision: a society where persons with deaf-blindness enjoy equal access to fundamental rights and the opportunity to develop their potential for personal growth, social inclusion, and advancement. She also outlined the association’s mission: to advocate for, facilitate, and ensure the academic, social, health, and economic inclusion of persons with deaf-blindness in every sector of the Nigerian economy, granting them equal access to human rights, privileges, and opportunities, thus enabling them to live fulfilling and productive lives as equal members of society.
Mr. Solomon Okelola, the first president of the Deaf-blind Support Initiative, speaking on behalf of LALIF and the association, expressed gratitude for the support and pledged his commitment to advancing the association’s objectives.
INN reports that the JONAPWD president’s proclamation appears to conflict with an earlier statement by the general manager of LASODA. On January 31, during the inaugural gathering of persons with deaf-blindness in Nigeria also organized by Lionheart Ability Leaders International Foundation (LALIF), LASODA’s general manager, Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, announced there are “eleven” disability clusters. This discrepancy underscores the importance of recognizing and ensuring fair representation for all disability clusters in Nigeria.
She stated, “There are eleven clusters of disabilities, and the number will continue to grow, though the agency has limited resources. However, the government is striving to reach every cluster.”