The Lagos State government has acknowledged the contributions of Mothers living with disabilities and Mothers of children with the same challenge.
The government says their immense contributions to the society cannot be ignored.
It says that the world must continue to appreciate their efforts with policies and programs that discourage stigmatisation.
According to the General Manager, Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs, LASODA, Mr. Dare Dairo, Mothers that have dissipated extra efforts on their children with special needs deserved to be recognised and appreciated.
Dairo was speaking at an event organised to celebrate the Mothers and Children with disabilities in Lagos.
He explained that the occasion was organised to give more credence to the policy of inclusiveness by Lagos State where no one is left behind.
“The essense of today’s program is to celebrate our mothers because all the eulogies about mother is incomplete without infusing a special salutations for mothers who catered for children with special needs.
“Our culture is very particular about children, because when woman is married, attention shifts to her and after nine months and nothing happens, the family of both parents begin to mount pressures.
“Mothers recieved more pressures when facing difficulty in child bearing, but when she eventually gives birth and the child is suffering any form of physical challenge, it would be another kettle of fish and many marriages have crashed as a result of this. And when the child is growing the woman also bared the challenges alone.
“Of all of those that have gone through this tedious process, there is no way we can pay them back, but to let them understand that they are appreciated” he said.
The General Manager maintained that there should be special attention to them as they form the folkrum of a better society.
According to him “There is nothing we are going to give you that can compensate for all the time you carry your child alone, the time you spent, sacrifice made and efforts of the past.”
The Guest Speaker at the event, Mrs Folasade Ajayi, encouraged Mothers with children living with disabilities to be firm and courageous and not feel inferior about the challenge.
She advised them to see education and exposure of their wards as a tool to development and become independent.
Ajayi also charged them to ensure they share experiences as coping mechanism and ensure they belong to support networks that would help them to live well.
She said, “You will agree with me that sometimes either you are born differently able or life happens to you as a child or mother’s and we want to let you know that there is ability on disability. Being disable is not the guarantee for failure and stagnation, you are all warriors and overcomers, be it on hearing, invisible, mobility and physically impairment, psychological among others.”
The theme for the event was ”Investing in our future means investing in our children.”
Highlight of the special event which featured dance, song presentations by the special children was the Awards Presentation for outstanding individuals and Golden mothers in recognition of their efforts and contributions.
Children also made outstanding presentations to the delight of thier parents as they were served with gifts items by thier host.
Confidence Okwuchi (VON)