By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
Persons with disabilities (PWDs) have been charged to aspire to attain leadership positions like their peers, irrespective of societal challenges.
This charge was given at the Zoe Foundation celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which was held on Wednesday at Sultan Bello Dome, University of Ibadan, with the theme ‘Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities towards accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world’.
The President of the Foundation, Muyiwa Elesho, who was represented by Mrs Mojisola Udeme-Jacob, in his welcome address, said that the question around the capability of persons with disabilities to occupy leadership positions stem from entrenched cultural prejudices and ignorance.
Elesho said if provided with the right opportunities and necessary support, persons with disabilities can excel as their disabilities come with abilities that may not be conventional.
“Going forward, we need to train them on effective leadership because they are humans whose ability cannot and should not be limited by their disability. I am sure that persons with disabilities can make significant achievements, contribute to national development and be responsible members of their community if provided with the opportunity,” he said.
The co-founder and Secretary, Board of Trustees of the three-year-old foundation, Dr Jacob Udeme said the foundation was established to provide a knowledge-sharing and awareness-creating platform for the course of people with disabilities.
“We felt that there is a need for persons with disabilities to be included in the general society. We do that by showcasing their creativity, their ability and innate skills,” he said.
Dr Udeme also called for the Nigerian government to move away from only passing the Disability Law to implementing its contents as a commitment to the call for a socially inclusive world for persons with disabilities.
In his lecture, Professor John Oyundoyin of the Department of Special Education, University of Ibadan, said persons with disabilities have always suffered exclusion, which has been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prof Oyundoyin stressed that a more inclusive world, in line with the United Nations Agenda 2030, should be the focus of any futuristic society in the post-COVID-19 recovery efforts.
“The global crisis of COVID-19 is deepening pre-existing inequalities, exposing the extent of exclusion and highlighting that work on disability inclusion is imperative.
“Disability inclusion will result in a COVID-19 response and recovery that better serves everyone, more fully suppressing the virus, as well as building back better. It will provide for more agile systems capable of responding to complex situations, reaching the furthest behind first,” he said.
The acting Head, Department of Special Education, University of Ibadan, Dr A. Osisanya said it was high time people and government stopped paying lip service to talks around participation of persons with disabilities in leadership.
While calling for unity among individuals with disabilities in the fight for inclusion, Dr Osisanya said, “If we are making a call for leadership participation in the government of our society or in the running of the affairs of the entire world, there must be total unity in the body of this disability world; unity among individuals with a disability, unity among the families of persons with disability, unity in the areas of education, rehabilitation as well as care-giving to individuals with disabilities.”
On her part, Mrs Bolanle Qaadri, the Programme Coordinator, Heart and Soul Centre for children with special needs, said finical constraints, segregation and discrimination remain a huge challenge in the fight for inclusion.
“Lots of parents want their children to achieve, to be educated, to undergo therapies but most of them don’t have the wherewithal to support the children.
“Every child can learn if you give them the support and know-how to help. No child should be left behind,” Mrs Qaadri said.
The event featured presentations by children from various special needs schools and the cutting of the Foundation’s third-year anniversary cake.
tribuneonlineng.com