The Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB), Abeokuta South Chapter, has called on the Ogun State Government to fully implement the state’s disability law to protect the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and promote equal opportunities for persons with visual impairment.
The call was made during the commemoration of this year’s International White Cane and Safety Day in Abeokuta, the state capital. The event was organised in partnership with the Abeokuta Lions Club Family, District 404B-4, and Beyond the Limit Initiative for Women and Girls with Disabilities.
Speaking at the event, the Chairperson of NAB Abeokuta South Chapter, Mrs Tomisin Adeyefa, urged Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration to enforce the Ogun State disability law enacted in 2017 under the administration of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
Adeyefa said effective implementation of the law would strengthen the protection of disability rights, promote equal opportunities, improve employment prospects for persons with disabilities and raise public awareness about their rights. She described the white cane as an essential mobility tool that promotes freedom, confidence, independence and self-reliance among persons who are blind or have low vision.
Delivering the keynote address titled, “Knights of the Blind in the Modern Era: Championing Mobility, Digital Financial Access, and Livelihood Inclusion for Persons with Visual Impairment,” Barrister Olayinka Salam Komolafe called for safer roads, accessible public infrastructure and improved economic opportunities for persons with visual impairment.
Komolafe advocated the provision of tactile paving, audible traffic signals and accessible public spaces to enable blind and partially sighted persons to move around safely and independently. He also stressed the need to expand access to digital financial services and sustainable livelihood opportunities, noting that disability inclusion must extend beyond physical mobility to economic empowerment and meaningful participation in society.
As part of the celebration, the Abeokuta Lions Club, District 404B-4, presented 50 white mobility canes to the association and supported free eye screening, the distribution of eyeglasses and access to subsidised medication for participants.
Speaking on behalf of the club, Lion Mumeen Akintola Akinsanya commended NAB for its commitment to improving the welfare of persons with visual impairment and reaffirmed the club’s determination to sustain its support for the association.
The intervention highlighted the importance of collaboration between humanitarian organisations and disability groups in improving the independence and wellbeing of persons with visual impairment.
Also speaking, the Founder of New Era Initiative, Prince Adekunle Adeyinka, and the immediate past Chairman of the Association of the Blind, Ogun State Chapter, Barrister Joseph Bulugbe, congratulated the association on the celebration. They encouraged members to remain united and committed to advancing the rights and welfare of persons with visual impairment.
Other activities at the event included handcraft and artisan displays, micro-business exhibitions showcasing products made by visually impaired entrepreneurs, music, dance performances, comedy and public enlightenment on road safety and the rights of white cane users.
Motorists, commercial transport operators and pedestrians were sensitised on the need to respect the mobility rights of white cane users and exercise caution around them on public roads.
The celebration underscored the need for sustained collaboration among government institutions, civil society organisations, humanitarian groups and the private sector to address barriers confronting persons with visual impairment.
Stakeholders expressed hope that stronger enforcement of disability rights, improved public accessibility, increased awareness and expanded economic opportunities would help build a more inclusive Ogun State where persons with visual impairment can participate fully in social, political and economic life.
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