And a disabled wins the primary!
They centred on the big wigs that were floored, the intrigues and drama that went with them. Names were gleefully splashed across the publication, in print and online editions. But they missed out on the real news of the primaries which was the victory of a disabled contestant at the Plateau State House of Assembly […]
They centred on the big wigs that were floored, the intrigues and drama that went with them. Names were gleefully splashed across the publication, in print and online editions. But they missed out on the real news of the primaries which was the victory of a disabled contestant at the Plateau State House of Assembly primaries. Ayuba Gufwan, a physically challenged person bound to a wheel chair won the PDP primary election for Mangu North constituency for the 20 –member Plateau State House of Assembly. And the very few isolated news outlets that reported Gufwan’s victory gave it only a passing mention overshadowed as it were by the big politicians. This is characteristic of the way our society generally looks down on the physically handicapped
Years back I used to wonder how those who fail exams and are always placed last in the academic class always gain admission to higher institutions upon going to America and coming out with good certificates. Apparently, the American society brushes them up. To say that the Nigerian environment does not provide an environment conducive for the unfolding of disabled persons’ potentials is no exaggeration. Living in Nigeria with all its challenges are a tug of war for the average, physically normal person, how much more the physically handicapped
Advanced western countries have up to speed facilities for these set of persons such that you may not even notice their disability at first glance. Some developing countries even fare better than us. Look at Oscar Pistorius, watching his widely televised trial, not many people realised that he has no legs, for they see him walking normally. In western and even some African countries sign language is incorporated in national television and national events to enable the deaf follow what is happening. Not so in Nigeria, yet we rate ourselves as the giant of Africa.
Thus they need to be treated especially because their needs are somewhat different. And the starting point for this is education, it being the foundation on which to build everything. Physically challenged require sound education which is dependent on the quality of their teachers who have to be specially trained to meet their special needs. Quite apart from being academically qualified, the teachers need to have some innate virtues. Not everybody has the temperament to impart knowledge to the physically handicapped. Government should ensure that it not only builds special schools for them but that they are also well equipped both in terms of infrastructure and teaching personnel. For this, budgetary provisions are needed. Unfortunately, this is not the case. How many schools for the handicapped has government built over the years at the federal and State levels? Practically zero. One should commend Nasarawa State where Governor Umar Tanko Al-Makura is currently constructing School for the Deaf in Lafia, School for the Blind in Keffi and a school for those suffering from autism and related syndrome in Akwanga.
Nevertheless, promises made by the federal government to have government agencies employ a specific number of handicapped persons remain largely unfulfilled.
Victoria N. Ikeano, Lafia <[email protected]>;