Ado Sunusi Sabongida: Ability in Disability

Just when you have almost lost hope in the ability of humanity to overcome obstacles in its path, a silver lining flashes through the thunder. And while the nation and its ‘commentariat’ are busy celebrating politicians great and small, this Column today celebrates someone who may never make a ‘bottom-line’, let alone a headline. This […]

Just when you have almost lost hope in the ability of humanity to overcome obstacles in its path, a silver lining flashes through the thunder. And while the nation and its ‘commentariat’ are busy celebrating politicians great and small, this Column today celebrates someone who may never make a ‘bottom-line’, let alone a headline. This is the story of a disabled but indefatigable young man, Ado Sanusi Sabongida, Level 200 student at Bayero University, Kano (BUK)’s Special Education Department. 

A physically-challenged person who has risen above disability, Ado just clocked 30 – having been born July 19, 1988 as he announced on his ubiquitous social media handles (Facebook/Ado Sunusi Sabangida and Twitter @sgida8). In a country where even the able could die young, Ado has survived, considering he only learnt to walk at TEN!

Ado’s hand and leg are deformed; even his face is contorted and is not straight like ours. Ado’s speech is slurred, and one has to listen really closely to comprehend him. (Wish I could uplink a video for readers to see how Ado walks, talks and moves). First ‘sighters’ of Ado may take pity and even shed a tear, but for us his friends, we only take inspiration from his life.

This week, Ado ([email protected]) emailed me: “Salam and Good Afternoon Sir. This letter is to tell you my First Semester result is out, and my GPA is 2.40. Thank you very much for your encouragement and support. May Almighty Allah be with us up to the end of our lives.” Alhamdu lilLah. Ado has just completed his First Semester as a university student. BUK accepted him last year as a Direct Entry (DE) student. He has survived the semester, and will in sha Allah survive the degree and beyond.

Narrating the history of his deformity, Ado says his grandmother (whom he called Innai) had told him he was born deformed. “Immediately I was born, my body started shivering and vibrating, and they took me to the neighbourhood traditional doctor who ‘treated’ me. I wasn’t healed apparently, and I spent ten years without being able walk.”

Despite this, many able-bodied humans could be intimidated by Ado’s impressive CV: Assistant Librarian,  International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) Kano Office (headed by Prof Salisu Shehu); Office Assistant at Jammaje English Academy (founded by Kabiru Musa Jammaje); Intern at Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) of Mallam YZ Ya’u; Coordinator, CITAD International PWDs Day 2015/2016/2017; Diploma, Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies, Kano (Legal); Professional Diploma and Advance Diploma in Information Technology at Abdullahi Nashe’s Mediwat School of Computer Studies, etc.

Due to his deformity, Ado was not enrolled in primary school as early as other children. It was thought he could never be schooled. But two of his uncles, Abubakar Balarabe Ahmad (one-time Director at Kano Educational Resource Department, KERD) and Aminu Ahmad Galadanci encouraged his father to enroll him, even if it meant physically carrying him back and forth. One of the uncles, Aminu, was himself deaf, but studied up to degree level at university and now works with Kano State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (SERERA). These two uncles supported Ado morally and financially.

But problems were just beginning – at primary school, because of the deformity of his hands, he could only write very slowly (which still affects him today, he says). The writing itself, despite being very slow, does not obey his brain, as it would take a tangent and sometimes land where it was not intended; such was the disability of his fingers. But teachers at primary school encouraged him, especially his headmaster Bala Idris.

On getting to secondary school, Ado was happy of the progress in his so far difficult life. Another principal, Bashir Dausayi, was posted and, when he saw Ado in Junior Class 1C, he advised that he be transferred to 1A, the Science Class, to encourage the little boy the more. And so Ado became a proud science student. On completion of Junior 3, he sat for the Placement Exam to proceed to senior secondary. But he failed.

One not to be deterred, the boy summoned courage and approached then Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly Balarabe Sai’du Gani who was impressed by Ado’s courage. On investigating how Ado failed, a shocker came – some people at the Science Board said Ado was failed for his own good; that because senior science schools dealt with chemicals, and he was disabled, it would be hazardous for him to handle such!

So, Ado didn’t get to continue science, and settled for Arts at the same school he did his Junior Secondary. Another principal, Mallam Muhammad then Chairman of Association of Principals (ANCOPSS) greatly encouraged him.

After secondary school, and before results, Ado enrolled in Jammaje English Academy where he was taught by, among others, BUK Professors Mustapha Isa Ahmad and Ibrahim Bello Kano. He also studied computer at Mediwat School on scholarship.

Results came out – Ado only got two credits and four passes. Not to be deterred, he started Remedial Programme at Legal. He sat for NECO. Results came out – 9 F9s. He didn’t give up! Another Good Samaritan, Nura Sani Yakasai, paid for Ado to retake NECO. He sat and passed 8 credits including English and Mathematics! By that time, he had enrolled in Pre-Diploma at Legal in English/Islamic Education. He proceeded to Diploma and graduated with Upper Credit! At Legal, Ado was encouraged by both academic and non-academic staff, especially Dean Student Affairs Farouk Muhammad. 

Today, Ado has completed First Semester. A child who could not walk for ten years now ‘walks’ to university; a child whose handwriting goes North when he wanted it to go West (if only his teachers knew!) today has 2.40 as GPA. 

How did I meet Ado? After I had once given a lecture to the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) members in Kaduna, the courageous young man came up to me and introduced himself and said he had been reading my Column for long.

To register at BUK, Ado was assisted with a small grant by BUK Indigent Student Fund (ISF) financed by three good friends of this Column – Lawal Idris, Garba Bello and Habiba Umar. ISF is administered by Hajara Sanda, once my student now my BUK colleague and Deputy Dean Students’ Affairs.

Many people have helped Ado throughout his life, and may Allah help all of them, mentioned here or not. To PWDs like him, Ado exhorts them not to allow their disability to ‘disable’ their minds.

And for friends of this Column, Ado says: “May Almighty Allah bless all of you.”