Ibom Air, an airline owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government has barred a prominent PWD, Hon. Chidi Topaz Olujie, from its flight, citing deafness as reason.

Mr Chidi Olujie (Deaf) is the National President, Nigerian National Association of the Deaf, NNAD. He disclosed the unsavoury incident in a chat with INN correspondent.

According to him, the airline stopped him from checking-in upon getting to the airport around 1pm this afternoon. This was after he had purchased his ticket online and the only reason given was his disability..

Read Also: NNAD, DWAN Condemn Dana Air Over Discrimination Of Member

In his words, “Last year, I and some six other Deaf colleagues encountered this problem while flying to Lagos from Uyo on Ibom air.

“They blocked us saying that their policy disallows Deaf persons from flying unless they are accompanied by hearing companions. We had some serious exchange of words with an employee named Victoria. However, she later apologized and they promised to change their policy.

A repeat of such incident happened again today after Olujie purchased a flight ticket online, only to be barred from flying upon arriving at the airport.

The embattled president show INN the discriminatory message shown to him by the airline during the incident. It reads: “Ibom Air would really love to fly you but you would need to travel accompanied. This is in line with civil aviation regulations as you would need to be informed at every point especially in case of any emergencies in flight. We sincerely apologize, sir”. The Airline said.

Read Also: Dana Air Has Left Me Stranded In Lagos – Woman With Disability Narrates Her Harrowing Experience

Chidi Olujie, who happens to have a good travel history both within and outside of Nigeria unaccompanied says this is the highest form of discrimination he has encountered in his over 30 years experience as a PWD and Disability advocate made it clear he wouldn’t take such lightly.

According to him, due to their unprofessionalism and discriminatory policies, he missed a very important business meeting and by the time he was able to book a ticket with another airline, he was already late for the meeting. He vowed to take the matter to court of law to serve as deterrent to other airlines who would discriminate against a Deaf Nigerian or any other PWD cluster.

“As a disability advocate and a leader for Deaf people in Nigeria, I am going to take this matter to the courts of Law so no Deaf Nigerian ever experiences this form of discrimination again!” he reiterated.

Photos of the text messages and the 2020 and 2021 payment tickets:

By Michael Ovat – Awka

Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), has organised a one-day training programme for People With Disabilities (PWDs), on how to acquaint with the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC plan e-voting and other Information Communication Technology appliances in Awka, Anambra state capital, on Friday.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the participants numbering over 75 who were trained, would be given laptops, internet dongles, laptop bags others for practice and self-reliance.

In his opening speech, the State Chairman of the Association, Comrade Ogochukwu Okeke, said with adequate knowledge, skills and resources, Persons with Disabilities should be employers, rather than job seekers in the country.

According to Comrade Okeke, we want to build our members capacity to enable us to move from Analogue to Digital World. And also to enable us to get prepared ahead of the INEC’s planned electronic voting (e-voting), announce to commence with the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State.

“We don’t want to be taken unaware, because, as you may know, we contribute 67 per cent in Nigeria electoral process, especially voting during elections.

Read Also: CCD, OPDs, other CSOs demand INEC independence, protest exclusion of e-voting, PWDs in Electoral Act

He added that the training was in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria which was launched by President Muhammad Buhari in 2019.

He tasked all participants to consider the training as a rare opportunity, as there are millions of people living with special needs in Nigeria who do not have the opportunity of being trained.

“Consider the training to be a foundation of your becoming a digital entrepreneur.

“I urge you to extend the knowledge and skills you have acquired here to your family, friends and associates in your various communities, he advised.

Okeke commended the state governor, Willie Obiano, for providing them with a conducive environment for organising the programme as well as including persons with disabilities in his administration.

In their separate lectures, Mr Ugonna Umeokwanna and Honourable Joseph Collins said digital technology could break traditional barriers to communication, interaction and access to information, urging the participants to use the new technology (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), to solve most of their challenges.

The State governor, who was represented at the event by his Special Adviser on Disability Matters, Barrister Chuks Ezewuzie, assured that the State Government would continue to give all the support, cooperation and collaboration to all persons living with disabilities in the state.

The world is rapidly changing. New modes. New systems. New procedures. New attitudes. Indeed, in virtually all human disciplines and institutions, new models are emerging, and we are all sort of afraid of what the next big change is going to be.

I am afraid, too. Everything has gotten incredibly competitive. We can’t beat it.

The fear of the unknown may be more heightened and pronounced among the members of the disability community in Nigeria and the United States. For a minority group who have difficulties with employment, economic and political opportunities, and who face a high degree of marginalization, discrimination, and underrepresentation—individuals who have trouble engaging within the larger, non-disabled society, people with disabilities may have more to worry about in highly unpredictable and dynamic systems than just about any other minority group.

We are afraid of a rapidly advancing economic system. We are anxious about newly-emerging skills that are needed for survival today.

We have had three industrial revolutions before this one, according to Daniel Kahnemanin’s Thinking, Fast and Slow. The first was marked by the mechanization of processes (the industrial revolution), the second by standardization, the third by digitization and automation, and finally, we are in the era that I choose to describe as the re-engineering of processes.

In a fast-paced world that has become a highly innovative economy—away from the long-existing industrial economy, made even tougher by the pandemic, there is nothing more important than for all persons with disabilities in our nation to be equipped with more and more practical knowledge and information about the dynamics in the world around them.

We also need a new model of thinking to beat today and the future.

How are we, as people with disabilities, to avail ourselves of the vast opportunities that today’s world presents—quality information, access to communications technology, and a chance to think and act independently?

Given our unremarkable social-economic threshold and general achievement in society, what can we do to take hold of today and the future—an era marked by increased competition and unpredictability?

In short, what strategy or innovative attitude is necessary to become our best in this rapidly altering economy?

What we need is nothing technical. What we need is simple. The new model is critical thinking.

Let us look at what critical thinking is, as well as the significance of this quality to our personal and professional development.

Critical thinking

 Imagine looking at what everyone is looking at to see if a different pattern comes out for you. Imagine moving away from the norm in your approach to a situation by formulating relevant, pertinent questions, and raising sensible theories to resolve a problem.

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information critically, to see if a different pattern emerges. It is so much fun to look at what everyone is looking at to see if something distinct—different than the norm– comes out for you. Critical thinking is the capacity to analyze information objectively and make out a rational, reasoned judgment.

Critical thinking is thinking out of the box. It is about analyzing an issue from a distinct, “never-been-explored-angle”. It is about, according to Author Tom Chatfield “thinking open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and communicating effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.”

Critical thinking and People with disabilities

People with disabilities must use critical thinking today—in this “hardened” socioeconomic system that’s never been more competitive. We ought to be able to ask vital questions and raise problems, formulating them clearly and precisely; and developing logical solutions.

Whether we are corporate workers in a corporate environment or civil servants under the power and weight of a bureaucratic government, or we are just trying to make our way into the world—as artisans or students or businesspersons, we need critical thinking skills for mobility.

We need good critical thinking skills for survival.

We need to be good critical thinkers to be able to draw reasonable conclusions from a set of information and discriminate between significant and less significant details to solve a problem or make a decision.

Critical thinking can help us to improve our communication and presentation skills. Good critical thinking can help us to increase our job prospects. It can help us promote healthy relationships and enhance our emotional wellbeing because we are analyzing information, thinking objectively, and making out, rational, reasoned judgments despite how hard truth might be.

Only eight of the 22,000 persons with disability in Taraba State were absorbed in the state’s civil service, says Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD).

The Secretary-General of JONAPWD, Taraba chapter, Aliyu Mohammed, Wednesday, expressed sadness at the neglect of Persons With Disability (PWDs) by the state government.

He spoke to the media shortly after the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) trained his members on disaster management.

Read Also: NGO Sensitizes Women with Disabilities on Access to Inclusive Healthcare Services Delivery in Taraba

Stressing that 85 per cent of PWDs are learned, he wondered why the state government has not deemed it fit to carry them along.

Mohammed, who also lamented that none of his members was co-opted into the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Taskforce in the state, said: “We are left behind by the government for unknown reasons. We believe there is COVID-19 pandemic, but we were not carried along; none of us was nominated as a member of the task force that went round to ensure adherence to the precautionary measures.”

While calling on the government to include PWDs in its activities, he urged the Red Cross, to reaching out to the government on their behalf.

Responding, the Disaster Management Coordinator of NRCS in Taraba, Bello Joda, said the society would work round the clock to table PWDs’ demands to the governing board.

The Executive Secretary National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Mr. James Lalu and some of the management staff of the Commission and the Members of the Plateau State Disability Rights Commission, paid a thank you visit to His Excellency Barr. Simon Lalong, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, on the 6th day of May, 2021, at the Press Hall of the Governor’s Office , Jos Plateau State.

Mr. James Lalu as part of his continuous efforts to move the issues of Disability forward and while ensuring that the opportunity to occupy their pride of place in the scheme of things in the nation is non- negotiable, by not losing touch with what is good for the members of the Disability community, led his team and other stakeholders back to his root , where his Journey as a leader began.

The Executive Secretary, in the presence of all expressed his deepest gratitude to the Governor,  recalling the Governor’s Confidence on him James Lalu, and the Governor’s unrelenting efforts to ensuring that the Disability Community gets to the pinnacle of their dreams.

He on behalf of the 28 million Persons with Disabilities thanked  His Excellency, for showing so much commitment to the cause of Disability matters which prompted him to be the first to domesticate the Disability Act by establishing  the Disability Rights Commission in Jos, Plateau State.

In his speech the Executive Secretary, NCPWD, went further to plead with the Governor to use his good Office as the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum to appeal to his fellow Northern Governors to domesticate the Act in their respective States .

Read Also: Social Protection: Disability commission calls for partnership among MDAs, advocates domestication of Disability Act

The Governor, in his response acknowledged the fact that Mr. Lalu is like a son to him, and lauded him for not disappointing the people of Plateau State who bestowed their trust and blessings on him, that he indeed has proven that he is a worthy Son of the soil and has not forgotten where he came from, having come to say thank you.

He commended Mr. Lalu for his passion, commitment, high level of responsibility and dedication in the management of the affairs of Persons with Disabilities in Plateau State and now the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities. He said that he has always believed that Mr. Lalu has the capacity to deliver on the mandate of the Commission to over 28 million Persons with Disabilities.

He shared his experiences and how he developed a strong passion for Persons with Disabilities and how that has been complemented by the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq who is equally a passionate person that has played a motherly role in the affairs of Persons with Disabilities in the country. As she honoured his advice to let Mr. James Lalu to Pioneer the management of Commission, because he has a dream for the Disability Community and only a passionate person can drive the dream to its peak.

His Excellency called the attention of everyone to the fact that anybody can become a person with Disability anytime, and it’s important for everyone to note that when you prepare a conducive environment for Persons with Disabilities, you are preparing a place for yourself, on that note he promised Mr. James Lalu that his plea has been granted, he will not be limited to only the Northern Governor’s Forum, but also to the Nigerian Governor’s Forum and will also copy Mr. President on the letter stressing the need for the Governors to domesticate the Disability Rights Act 2018 in their various States.

The Executive Secretary, appreciated the Governor for his continuous efforts so far, while wishing His Excellency, a happy birthday and more fruitful years ahead, he used the opportunity of the visit to on behalf of the  Supervisory Ministry, Council Members, the Commission and Disability Community to present  a birthday Cake to His Excellency, the visit was sealed with a prayer by one of the Council Members Mrs. Esther Agulu.

The Thank you visit was also attended by the Deputy Governor , Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden, some Commissioners and members of the State Executive team, a member of the Council of the NCPWD. Mrs. Esther Agulu, some management and staff of the NCPWD, the Chairman, Plateau State Disabilities Rights Commission, Kienan Mizim and her Members, APC party chieftains, SA on Disability matters from Local Government Areas.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Thursday warned Nigerians against sharing their phones, National Identity Number (NIN) and SIM cards with others because of the risks involved.

The Commission maintained that anybody caught in the act would be held liable for any crime committed with such sensitive information.

Its Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau, Mr. Efeosa Edehen, sounded the warnings at Garki International Market, Abuja, during a consumer conversation event organised by the NCC.

The event aimed at sensitising telecom consumers had the theme, “Know your rights and obligations as a telecom consumer”.

Edehen warned that Nigerians must be extremely careful with their devices so they don’t fall into the hands of wrong people who would use them to commit crime and later it would be traced to the owner of the device through the NIN or SIM card.

Read Also: We will promote Inclusion in NBC, NCC for Deaf community; Support for Businesses Owned by Deaf Persons in Nigeria.

He said: “Do not help other people to link their SIM cards with your NIN. Handle your phone with care, be careful how you give your phones to other people to make calls, send texts, or use social media.

“Your phone carries your identity and therefore should be protected and always be with you.

“Note that you will be responsible for whatever wrong/offence someone else committed while using your SIM card(s). So, be very vigilant.”

“As a citizen, it is very important and necessary to register for National Identity Number (NIN) and to ensure your NIN is linked to your SIM cards,” Edehen added.

HE said: “Consumers have the right to receive clear and complete terms and conditions for service agreement and disclosures of price for goods and services, and to affirmatively accept all terms and conditions before being charged for services. They have the right to be protected against fraudulent, misleading and deceitful information or advertisement or labelling.”

By Bizibrains Okpeh

Unfortunately, violence has been with man since time immemorial and the recent history of mankind has witnessed an unprecedented surge in “creative” violent stories, written in blood and the sheer pain of victims and survivors – most of whom, left by society, are struggling to live with or through their chequered experiences. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), violence is “The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation.”

While it is well documented that Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), like other protected or vulnerable groups, are often subjected to physical (visible) abuse, it is the invisible, less visible, or psychological violence that has been, by far, normalised, culturised, and often minimised. Yet, it is no less devastating in its effect. Worse still, PWDs experience psychological disability-based violence (DBV) not only from strangers or the outside world but also from their immediate environment – family, friends, and caregivers. As Gro Harlem Brundtland succinctly puts it; “To many people, staying out of harm’s way is a matter of locking doors and windows and avoiding dangerous places. To others, escape is not possible. The threat of violence is behind those doors – well hidden from public view.” This is the story of Mr. Tergbaya (not his real name), a person living with a disability in Benue State.
“Growing up as a physically challenged child in Benue State was tough. I was laughed at, insulted, mocked, bullied in school and when walking on the streets. One of the incidents happened in 1996 when I was in JSS 2; a senior who was in SS 2 told me that I was a beggar and would continue to be. He said those words to me just because I prevented him from unjustly punishing a classmate. It took me 15 years after to get over this verbal attack.”

Again, unfortunately, Mr. Tergbaya is not alone in this. According to the WHO’s “15 percent rule,” about 1 billion people live with disabilities globally. In the case of Nigeria, more than 30 million Nigerians live with disabilities. And as of 2016, over 861 thousand persons lived with disabilities in Benue State. In Benue State, as is the case all over Nigeria, it is perhaps “normal” to subject PWDs to all kinds of psychological violence or abuse – consisting in verbal insult, blaming, shaming, gaslighting, name-calling, rejection, dismissiveness, bullying, manipulation, infantilisation, minimisation, withholding, destruction of property, deprivation, and other aggressing, degrading, humiliating, and intimidating treatments and/or threats.

Read Also: Rights of Lawyers with Disabilities in Nigeria: How Long Must Charity Continue?

The threat to deny, withhold or deprive, or actual denial, withholding, or deprivation cut across all amenities of life, including liberty, food, shelter, and education. And the overwhelming ruinous effect of this is perhaps exacerbated when it comes from one’s family.

“My mum has been my backbone. She single-handedly sponsored my education from primary to tertiary. My father blatantly refused to send me to school. On two occasions he said; ‘I see no reason to waste my resources on him’. He made the statement when my mother requested that I should be enrolled in elementary school. When I was in 300 level in BSU [Benue State University] and needed N30,000 to pay school fee, my mother approached him for assistance and he said; ‘if he cannot pay his school fee, ask him to come back, I will buy a plate for him to be begging on the streets, physically challenged persons don’t go to school.’”

The “normalisation culture,” entrenched and transmitted through myths, is just one of the many factors accounting for why PWDs are easily targetted for psychological violence. This culture has not only preponderated the balance of power in favour of the abusers or violators, robbing the victims of the willpower to resist, it has also ensured that the ravaging effects of such abuse are constantly minimised. This is perhaps the bigger tragedy. When violence becomes a funfair in any society, no one would be free from the eventual domino effect.

“I lived in the BSU boys hostel for four years out of the five years I spent in school. While living in the hostel, I contracted a skin infection but I noticed it in the first semester of my final year. Instead of my hostel and schoolmates being sympathetic and supportive, they chose to bully me. They went to the extent of name calling, hanging around lecture and exam halls to distract me from lectures and exams respectively. Their intention was to ensure that I spilled over. These were young men and women with whom I had no personal interaction or vendetta. But they chose to disgrace, abuse, insult, and humiliate me because of my disability.”

Read Also: Towards an Inclusive Covid-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration

Still, the biggest tragedy perhaps lies in bearing the burden of psychological DBV. In Nigeria, it is estimated (according to WHO) that 20 to 30 percent, that is 41,200,000 to 68,800,000 of Nigerians, suffer from mental health deficiencies. And because of the paucity of data, since PWDs are 4 to 10 times more likely to be victims of violence than their counterparts without disabilities (Sobsey, et al., 1995), it is perhaps safe to say that they constitute a considerable percentage of these numbers. PWDs often suffer from depression, trauma, anxiety, low self-esteem, post-traumatic stress disorder, including but not limited to, hypervigilance, intrusive imagery, isolation, and avoidance behaviour/syndrome. These in turn affect their emotional, psychological, and social well-being. And in certain extreme cases, it could result in deaths, suicidal thoughts, and even suicides. A double-edged sword, psychological DBV is not only violence in itself, it could induce self-inflicted violence.
“I felt rejected by those who were supposed to show me love, support, and encouragement and I saw myself as less than a human. At the height of the abuses in BSU, I became truant and self-isolated, avoiding large gatherings, including lectures. This affected my performance so much that I contemplated dropping out of school in the second semester of my final year. The abuses changed my personality completely. I hardly believe or trust people now.”

Despite the enactment of protective laws, including the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law of Benue State (VAPL), which is an adoption of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 (VAPA), it is not yet ututu (morning) for PWDs living in the state. The VAPA expressly prohibits and criminalises all forms of violence – including emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse (Section 14) and intimidation (Section 18) – against any person, including PWDs, in private and public life. Section 46 defines “emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse” as a pattern of degrading or humiliating conduct towards any person [e.g. PWDs], including but not limited to – (a) repeated insults, (b) ridicule or name-calling, (c) repeated threats to cause emotional pain and (d) the repeated exhibition of obsessive possessiveness, which is of such a nature as to constitute a serious invasion of such a person’s privacy, liberty, and integrity. Yet, concerning PWDs and psychological DBV, this writer is not aware of any prosecution under the VAPL at this time, even as PWDs in the state continue to experience psychological DBV. More so, many in the state don’t even know about the existence of this law.

Notwithstanding the dynamics of psychological DBV, we can defeat it. And yes, we can. The invisible everyday suffering of PWDs in Benue State, a fortiori, Nigeria, must be of concern to all stakeholders. The government, civil society organisations, organisations of persons with disabilities, traditional rulers/chiefs, police, academia, and other local, national, and international development partners must play a part in significantly mitigating, if not eliminating, this societal burden. Deliberate and intentional effort should be made towards the enforcement/implementation of the VAPL, especially as it concerns PWDs. Awareness of the dangers of psychological DBV to both abusers or violators and victims or survivors should be zealously pursued. The public, parents, and caregivers of PWDs should be specifically sensitised on the criminalisation of psychological DBV. Also, effective and adequate professional support should be provided to PWDs who are victims of psychological DBV as required under the law.

In the final analysis, beyond tolerance, adjustment, and accommodation, we must predicate our interactions with PWDs on mutual or reciprocal respect. This is the only road worth taking – one that leads to inclusive and sustainable cities or communities. As Nelson Mandela posited, “We must address the roots of violence. Only then will we transform the past century’s legacy [“culture of violence”] from a crushing burden into a cautionary lesson.” The time to act is now. Take positive action!
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Bizibrains Okpeh is a lawyer and a disability rights advocate. Reach him at bizibrains@gmail.com. This article was sponsored by the Inclusive Friends Association, IFA, with support from the Ford Foundation.

The Management of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities has paid a visit to Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong to appreciate his passion for people with disabilities in Plateau State and the nation as a whole.

Led by its Executive Secretary Mr. James Lalu, the Commission said it was highly appreciative of the role played by the Governor towards the establishment of the Agency, having worked for its establishment in Plateau State while he was Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly.

Lalu said the Governor has also matched words with action in recruiting people with disabilities to manage the Commission in the State unlike the situation in many States where these category of persons are marginalised.

The Executive Secretary said Governor Lalong has also appointed persons with disabilities into his cabinet as well as ensured that others are carried along in all empowerment and entrepreneurship programmes.

Read Also: Lalong Lauds Appointment Of Lalu As Secretary Of Disability Commission

Responding, Governor Lalong expressed gratitude to the Commission for recognising his modest contributions towards addressing the challenges of people with disabilities.

He said his passion for people living with disabilities is deep as he believes that anyone can be in the situation they find themselves.

” I always put issues around people living with disabilities on the highest priority. We all know that no one became disabled by his own choice. For some, they were born like that and for others, they became disabled later in life. That is why those of us who are physically able should not discriminate against them or consider them less human beings. A lot of them have special gifts that surpass those of us who consider ourselves able” he said.

Governor Lalong therefore called on other State Governments who have not established such Commissions should go ahead and do so without further delay to be able to address the plight of these category of people.

He assured the Executive Secretary of the National Disability Commission of his support for ensuring he succeeds in this assignment.

They presented a cake to the Governor to mark his 58th birthday.

It is becoming the new normal in recent times to read about PWDs getting appointed as aides and advisers to government officials on disability related issues.

Going by such trend, stereotypes would think PWDs are only good enough for disability related affairs. It is therefore encouraging to read of a departure from the old trend, thanks to Kogi State Governor, Alh. Yahaya Bello.

The current youngest Governor of the Nigerian federation has appointed Peter Aliyu (Deaf) as his special assistant on Sanitation matters.

Read Also: PDP Appoints Person With Disability, 4 Others Into Its National Lobby Committee

The news was disclosed in a letter issued by Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Folashade Arike Ayoade.

According to the Secretary, the appointment is based on the appointee’s loyalty to the government. Aliyu is expected to resume office with effect from 4th of May.

Meanwhile, another Person with Disability, (visually impaired) Comr. Abdulazeez Asadullah Ahmed, was also appointed as special assistant to the Governor on Media.

By Jesutomi Akomolafe

Globally, a case study has shown that when young adults with special needs integrate with the use of Robotics in life skills, particularly in a repetitive way, it can be a useful tool for enhancing their socialization skills, moreover, new forms of interaction can be proposed in future works in order to stimulate further cognitive and emotional advancements of children and young adults with disabilities.

In commemoration of the World Autism Month of April, the Special Needs Initiative for Growth conducted the STEM, Robotics and Drones Workshop for young adults with Autism of the Patrick Speech Language Center and their special needs educators to enable them discover and scale their passion in STEM, robotics and Drones, so that they can start as early as possible to achieve its maximum efficiency at school, socially and eventually prepare them for a future in the Nigerian labour market.

In Nigeria, one out of every 125-150 children has the Autism condition. This amounts to about 600,000 Nigerian children. The burden this places on the child, his/her family, the society, and the nation at large is unquantifiable, and not only on the nation’s social services but also on its GDP. The greater cost is the loss in harnessing the potential in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) due to inaction and neglect. There’s no way to prevent autism spectrum disorder, but there are treatment options. Early diagnosis and intervention is most helpful and can improve behavior, skills and language development. However, intervention is helpful at any age. Though children usually don’t outgrow autism spectrum disorder symptoms, they may learn to function well.

The theme for World Autism Day (WAD 2021) is ‘Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World’. Autism-friendly events and educational activities take place all month, aiming to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, foster worldwide support and inspire a kinder, more inclusive world. That is why the Special Needs Initiative for Growth is connecting the self-advocates into education technology activities, which is preparing them for the future of work in a post-COVID-19 World.

The workshop was supported by Sifax Group, Barack Obama American Corner Victoria Island, Global Air Drone Academy and ARPG Tech who provided technical, educational mentorship and educational resources to the young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder to promote a multicultural learning culture through digital skills.

There was a representation of over 30 participants inclusive of beneficiaries, partners, instructors, facilitators and educators.
The project commenced with the Global Air Drones Academy team for the drones session in the persons of Mr. Tobi Oluwole and Stephan Iheakam who engaged the students and educators on properties of a drone, the benefits of a drone as well as shared deep insight on how to couple a quadcopter drone through a real practical assembling. They also learnt how to affix the propellers of a drone and identify colours such as black & white for a clockwise movement and red & blue for an anticlockwise movement in terms of the internal property.

Read Also: Special Needs Students set up pop-up store from recycled materials

The second aspect of the project enabled a classification into two groups of trainees who created various schematic pieces to construct robots, buggies and devices while ensuring they can physically “move” or “operate” together to successfully and repeatedly perform a given task. Trainees and their special educators got to build electronics, and learn about basic physics, electricity, and how electronic devices work.

Some of the feedback from the Patrick Speech Language Center educators indicated that the workshop for the young adults with autism enabled them to interact more freely and could even go beyond the instructions given by the special needs facilitators while engaging with the drones and robotics. They also expressed verbal and non-verbal communication, indicating excitement during the interaction.The self-presentation was crucial to help children feel more comfortable and create an environment of positive interaction.

The Young adults with Autism also commenced an internship with Brainiacs STEM and Robotics, an education technology company set up to nurture the next generation of technology entrepreneurs in Africa.

Brainiacs STEM and Robotics supported the self-advocates on getting to know more about Brainiacs STEM and Robotics Working Culture, ethics, and responsibilities. The interns engaged in practical activities related to communications, team collaboration and other working tasks. The young adults with Autism were provided personal and professional counseling, with the experience of a culturally diverse environment and lots of fun moments.

Racheal Inegbedion, the Executive Director and Project Team Lead of the Special Needs initiative for Growth stated that the STEM, Robotics and Drones annual project is a long term goal for the organization to empower the special needs community which is focusing on demand-driven IT entrepreneurship and career development to enable either employment or self-employment, after which they are mentored, supported to secure an internship or job, or given a small grant to start a business.

Mr. Muyiwa Akande, the Corporate Affairs Manager of Sifax Group stated that the Sifax Group Corporate social responsibility with Special Needs Initiative for Growth is helping to reduce unequal opportunities for persons with disabilities so that after they have been trained, they can become creators of STEM and Robotics, exposing themselves to opportunities of entrepreneurship and career development in the nearest future.

The General Manager, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), Mr. Ogundairo Oluwadamilare, has called on local government authorities in the state to set up a disability desk that would see to the inclusion of Persons Living With Disability (PWDs) in all programmes and activities of the local government.

He made this call during a workshop organised yesterday to sensitise and build capacity of senior officials of the various local councils and local council development areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State on the Lagos State Disability Law and their responsibilities in its implementation.

He said the disability desk would also help in the registration of PWDs who are indigent or too illiterate to be able to register themselves on the proposed online registration portal that the agency was working on.

Read Also: LASODA Empowerment In Plan For PWDs In 2021- Ogundairo

He added that to ensure that nobody would be left behind, it was important they understand the state agenda in light of the disability law so that they could make all the programmes and policies inclusive of people with disability.

“It is about making our environment to accommodate persons with disabilities to live a fulfilled and productive life. The question is how many banks can a person on a wheelchair enter? That is an injustice. Because it is already presumed that no person with disability or persons on wheelchair specifically have a business in the bank and that is against the tenets of social justice,” he said.

“Let us begin to design our environment in ways that do not limit, discriminate or disempower people with disability. They are persons with different abilities ready to unleash them and contribute to society. So, we are all short-changing ourselves when we exclude this significant population of the people from the society,” he said.

While speaking on marginalisation, the General Secretary of Spinal Cord Injury Association of Nigeria (SCIAN) and the Youth Chairman for the Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), Austin Egeonu, said the knowledge of people with disability on their rights and laws needed to be improved while the community and society needed to be aware that PWDs are part of the society.

Special Olympics Nigeria (SON) has successfully concluded the Unified Sports programme sponsored by Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).

The SNF unified sports programme is a school and community based initiative of SON that engages participants with and without intellectual disabilities in football and air badminton sports training and competition.

Athletes with intellectual disabilities and the unified partners that is people without intellectual disabilities took part in self-development programmes, and sports training sessions two times weekly, within various communities and centres over the duration of 21 weeks beginning November 2020 and ending April 2021.

The activities, which came to an end with a grand finale tournament, held at Igbobi College, Yaba, Lagos, featured football and air-badminton competition, mentorship sessions, award presentation and a dance challenge.

After 21 weeks, 192 athletes and 186 unified partners were equipped with sports and developmental skills, whilst 51 coaches enhanced their sports management and training skills.

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Beneficiaries successfully improved their physical fitness and sports skills, and participated in self-developmental programmes including unified youth discussion forums to equip them with life skills and prepare them for the future.

The partnership between SON and SNF to implement the Foundation unified sports programme promoted inclusion, encouraged friendships, and showcased the sports skills of persons with and without intellectual disabilities in football and air badminton.

SON is part of a worldwide movement that is aimed at changing the misconceptions individuals have about people with intellectual disabilities.

The mission provides various sports training and athletic competitions in a variety of Olympic – type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities thus providing a platform where their abilities are celebrated in the society.

SNF is one of the world’s leading private, international philanthropic organisations, making grants to non-profit organisations in the areas of arts and culture, education, health and sports, and social welfare. SNF funds organisations and projects worldwide that aim to achieve a broad, lasting, and positive impact for society at large, and exhibit strong leadership and sound management. The Foundation also supports projects that facilitate the formation of public-private partnerships as an effective means for serving public welfare.

Olusola Owonikoko has been named as one of the seven global finalists in the 2021 UK Study Global Impact Award.

The UK Study Award is hosted annually by the British Council to recognise UK university alumni who have made an exceptional contribution and commitment to creating positive social change and improving the lives of others.

The award is in three categories, namely: Professional Achievement, Entrepreneurship, and Social Impact Awards. For the Social Impact Award category, a finalist emerged from each region, and Olusola Owonikoko emerged as the finalist for the Sub-Saharan African region.

Olusola received the IDS Graduate Scholarship to study for a Masters’s degree in Globalisation, Business, and Development from the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom, from 2017 to 2018.

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He has been recognized for his work and impact at Project Enable Africa; an organisation that equips persons with disabilities with ICT skills and connects them with job opportunities in Nigeria.

Olusola’s time in the UK gave him the theoretical knowledge and practical skills he needed.

In 2018, he secured a $250,000 grant from the Google Impact Challenge to set up Nigeria’s first disability-friendly digital hub. He has since raised several other funds to achieve the mission of his organisation.

The other 6 finalists in the Uk Study Global Social Impact Award category are: Raquel Espinosa – a filmmaker from Mexico, Dr Orna Rosenfeld – an advisor to the World Bank on Housing policies and investment from France, Fadi Zaghmout – a best-selling author from the United Arab Emirates and North Africa region, Dev Aditya – Managing Director of Otermans Institute from India, Ian Yee – an investigative journalist from Malaysia, and Mustafa Ozer – director at Imece Social Innovation platform from Turkey.

There are also 7 finalists in each of the other two UK Study award categories. All the finalists are UK university alumni with outstanding success stories, representing 27 UK universities and 16 countries. Read about their inspirational stories and how they are using their experience of studying at a UK university to make an impact on their communities, industries, and countries, here.

Three global winners from each category will be selected for their outstanding achievements as professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders in September 2021.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expanded the polling units in Enugu State from 2,958 to 4,147 polling units to create easy access to polling units in the state.

Dr Emeka Ononamadu, the INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner for Enugu State, told newsmen in Enugu on Friday that the new polling units were those converted from an existing 1,189 voting points.

Ononamadu explained that the new polling units, which were created following strict adherence to the guidelines for conversion, was meant to curb overcrowding in polling units, also leading to lack of voters’ access.

“The guidelines which state that polling units should be located based on the following considerations:

“Must be in public places, preferably centrally located and accessible; and non-sectarian facilities like community halls, health centres, court premises, public recreation centres, amongst others.

“Spacious facilities that can comfortably sit election officials, party agents, election observers and other legitimate election staff.

“Adequately covered locations such as classrooms and halls; and locations or facilities that can take more than one polling unit,’’ he said.

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The commissioner said that the guidelines made it clear that no polling unit would be located in private buildings, houses of traditional rulers, religious buildings, political party buildings or residence of government officials.

“Or any building which a voter may under any circumstance be denied access, except as prescribed by the law.

“No new polling unit should also be located in any building or facility that is in dispute or inaccessible to persons living with disabilities,’’ he noted.

Ononamadu noted that it was necessary to address rumours and misinterpretation of the exercise.

According to him, the same standard and guideline being applied in Enugu State is applicable all over the federation.

“There were certain rumours that it was only some communities that secretly applied for new polling units that were given new polling units.

“There was also rumour that it was the pressure from politicians to give them new polling units that INEC is yielding to. These rumours are all false.

“INEC is simply converting existing voting points into polling units; therefore, polling units creating is not a direct response to any application or pressure,’’ he said.

A Deaf Teacher, Malam Ismail Abdullahi has thanked Bauchi State Governor, Sen. Bala A. Mohammed for his Ramadan generousity to Disability Communities across the 20 Local Government Areas of the State.

INN learnt this yesterday, Wednesday 5th May, 2021 after the event in which Mr Ismail, in his appreciation to the Governor was quoted as saying: “This magnanimous gesture is indeed a singular act of love and neighborliness that will always keep us together”.

Read Also: Bauchi Disability Agency Distributes Ramadan Gifts To Persons With Disabilities.

According to the deaf teacher, as the saying goes “Bauchi ta Kaurace”. It is our prayers that Allah (SWT) grant His Excellency his wishes to uplift the State to greater heights. We say a big “Thank You” to His Excellency.

“Conversely, we would also like to use this medium to thank Hon. Ibrahim Mohammed, Chairman of the State’s Agency for Persons with Disabilities and his Executive Secretary Hon. Brisca Joram for their foresight, diligence, and fairness in sharing of the donated foodstuffs to the needy PWDs across the 20 LGAs within the State. To you too, we say: ” Thank You.

Ismail stated that “it’s a moral responsibility of each and everyone of us to contribute meaningfully to the survival needs of Persons with disabilities so as to earn God affection.”