Fresh travail for Sokoto teen who lost sight to ritualists at 6

Umar Muhammad’s story was one that touched the hearts of many in 2006. His eyes were plucked out by ritualists on a sugar cane farm in Sokoto on October 31, 2006, when he was just six years old. Fourteen years after, life still hasn’t been fair to Umar as he battles to survive. The visually […]

Umar Muhammad’s story was one that touched the hearts of many in 2006. His eyes were plucked out by ritualists on a sugar cane farm in Sokoto on October 31, 2006, when he was just six years old.

Fourteen years after, life still hasn’t been fair to Umar as he battles to survive.

The visually impaired teen, who lost both parents while in primary school, is struggling to ensure he completes his education.

Twenty-year-old Umar is now in his second year (NCE II) at the Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto but in desperate need of financial support to pay his registration fees even though he attends lectures without knowing his fate.

“My initial ambition after graduating from Adisa Raji Special School in 2017 was to get admission into the Federal College of Education Oyo to read special education. But my parents died while I was still in primary school, and none of my elder siblings have enough to sponsor my education,” he lamented.

“We looked for support everywhere, but it wasn’t forthcoming. No one could help, so the dream had to die.”

He said it was in 2018 that his older siblings, with the help of other concerned relations, were able to pull resources together to pay for his registration fee for NCE I after securing admission at the Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto.

“After I commenced lecture, another Good Samaritan, Hon. Malami Mohammed Galadanchi (Bajare), donated N20,000 which greatly assisted me and facilitated my studies,” he recounted.

“You know, there is the issue of transporting myself to school and back, feeding and buying other necessary things like handouts and typing some assignments in school. We buy a special typing sheet for our assignments, and we also buy braille and other materials, especially during examinations.”

Umar added, “I’ve completed my NCE I and now going to NCE II, but can’t pay my registration fee like my colleagues in the same department.”

Umar has a great zeal for education despite his challenges, but financial constraint is getting in his way of obtaining higher education. “It is not easy going to school for people like me. People with visual impairment find it difficult to move around in this kind of environment, especially changing locations during lectures.”

According to him, his relations who assisted him earlier are unable to continue due to their own financial limitations.

Mallam Nasir, Umar’s elder brother, said they were making efforts to reach out to the Sokoto State Zakkat and endowment commission for assistance.

Similarly, Mallama Shafa’atu under whose custody Umar has been since the death of their parents solicited support towards her younger brother’s education. “Right now, we are in a difficult situation not knowing what to do to assist Umar. The fact that he lost both parents at a young age coupled with his visual impairment compounded the situation.”

Another elder brother of Umar, Mallam Salisu Mohammed, said they had contacted some politicians who promised to look into Umar’s situation and at least make the government do something to support his cause.

“It is a challenge to us; his family not giving Umar what he deserves,” he said.

Umar’s Lecturer at the SSCOE, Mohammadu Sani said Umar Mohammed described Umar as among the gifted ones when it comes to Braille. “It’s their means of communication and he is really good at it.”

His lecturer also noted that Umar is disciplined, punctual and committed to his studies, but was challenged by the lack of financial support he needs for his education to move on with life.

Mohammadu Sani appealed to good Samaritans to help Umar achieve his dreams.

His coursemate and friend, Yusuf Mohammed, says Umar has been his good friend since their primary and secondary school days at A.A. Raji special School Sokoto.

Yusuf described Umar as honest, dedicated and not the greedy type. “He maintains a high level of sincerity always in the over ten years that we have been friends.

Yusuf added that, “Umar is always ahead of other students when it comes to Braille, we all rally round him on Braille, he is a good student.”

Yusuf says Umar  enjoys the company of other students, and that even the lecturers are happy with him because of  his zeal to learn.

Daily Trust Saturday was also at the primary  and secondary school Umar attended, Adisa Raji Special School.

One of those who taught him, Mohammed Mode Aliyu 45, (a visually impaired) described Umar  as exceptionally brilliant and someone who memorizes without much difficulty.

“I recall during a practical lesson where he demonstrated unique mastery of manipulating a typewriter,” Aliyu recalled.

Aliyu emphasized that  special students have prospect and need to be assisted by the well-to-do or the government to be able to fulfil their dreams.”

He noted that, many of such cases have been left unattended to, and most times the children ended up on the streets as beggars.

On his part, Umar says he has resorted to seeking divine intervention for his travails. “I have commenced intense prayers for Allah to allow someone to assist me to pay for the registration because I don’t want to lose this chance after all these years of staying at home until I achieve my dreams of becoming a lawyer,” he revealed.

He added, “Right now, I am in a dilemma; not knowing whether I can continue with my studies at this level after scaling through the first hurdle.

“I am passionately appealing to government at all levels, organizations or individual to come to my aid and make it possible for me to realize my dream.”