Dear Nairalanders,

To say that I am dissapointed,broken-hearted and angry is an understatement!
I used to take pride in calling myself a strong man who could withstand challenges and overcome any kind of obstacle, and that no matter what life throws at me, I will never contemplate suicide. But on the 27th of April, 2006 I wanted to die!Yes! (Thank God I no longer feel like dying.Infact I am stronger, older and wiser now).
After participating in a recruitment test/interview, I became suicidal when I realised that I was not selected for employment simply because I am disabled! (I don't feel disabled,though my right hand is deformed)

I felt it was best for me to die than live with the constant, prejudice, discrimination and stigmatization that the Nigerian society hurls out to people like me.According to Myles Munroe, "the greatest tragedy in life is not death but life; life that fails to fulfill its purpose and potentials."

You see, before and since my discharge from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), I have participated excellently in many tests / interviews and yet I have not met an organisation that is civilized and courageous enough to hire me.Infact I often sense the hesitation, confusion and the discrimination at the final stage of the interview when I come face to face with the panel of interviewer (s) and it dawns on them that the chap standing or sitting before them is physically challenged.They forget that appearance is often very deceptive.

It is so painful because although, I have been physically challenged since birth, I have learnt to do things for myself, I have learnt to be very independent. I have been to school and graduated with excellent credentials, I have completed my NYSC. I used to play football and I have taught myself to operate a computer system efficiently with one hand.Apart from that, I wash my own clothes and I try as much as possible to be versatile so as to make up for any shortcoming that will result from my disability.

Infact, I am very hardworking (I really am) but it is so sad and frustrating that I have not been given the opportunity to prove to the society that not all physically challenged persons are unproductive and potential beggars.I feel like a local fisherman who spent all he had and all his life learning how to fish but has been forbidden to go to the river.

Is disability a crime? We are given name tags such as, handicapped, crippled, destitutes, deformed, disabled, etc but is'nt that hypocritical and shameful for a society that claim to be civilized, a society that preaches global peace, love and equality to mistreat fellow human beings who did not create themselves or set out purposely to deform themselves? Or are we not human beings?

You claim to serve God yet you are so quick to judge, so quick to hate and so very unfair to us. Why do I have the feeling that the society where I exist expects me to spend my precious life on the streets or sit in front of a mosque or a church and beg for alms, instead of sitting behind an office desk?

Has it ever occured to you that some of the physically challenged persons hustling on our streets are actually educated and hardworking folks who are trying to survive in a wicked society that did not make any provision for their welfare?
Maybe most of the beggars are on the streets because it is the only place the society expects them to be!

How many able-bodied persons have tried to interact closely with people with disabilities? Most of the physically challenged persons that I have had the privilege of interacting with are often very brilliant, creative and law abiding.I bet that If Stevie Wonder had been a Nigerian he probably would be begging for food at Oshodi market,

My brothers, it is a fact that life is very hard,especially in Africa but you must understand that it is extra-extra difficult for people with disabilities, So instead of throwing dirty five naira notes at people with disabilities, the society should please give us the opportunity to prove that we are productive. We should be given the chance to contribute to the socio-economic development of nigeria. I implore all well meaning and sympathetic individuals and organisations to help us in appealing to the federal government to look into the issue of people with disabilities and address it once and for all.
I suggest that a ministry of people with disabilities be created to cater for our welfare. The ministry should be headed by a physically challenged person because it is he who wears the shoes that knows where it pinches most. We should be given the opportunity to participate in government, to participate in decisions that affect our society. We should be encouraged to go to school and given employment.

The society should please give us a sense of belonging. After all one does not require legs to cast news, operate a computer or to do any kind of desk job.One does not require hands to analyse issues, take decisions, be a radio presenter or a lecturer,etc.

Discrimination in whichever way it comes should be discouraged because it is negative. It is emotionally devastating, it destroys a persons confidence in life and kill off ones ambition. Let us learn from the inspiration of Theodore Roosevelt, when he said that, "this country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in."

As for me, I have decided that I wont give up the faith no matter what the society does to me. I wont kill myself. I will rather continue to seek out ways to better myself. I will keep on searching for a job and above all else, I will never end up in the streets. So help me God.

awww am soo sorry
i know people can be cruel at times
and noone knows what someone else is goin through
unless they have actually been there,


am glad u didnt take ur life
stay strong ma brotha

If not for Ignorance, self-centeredness and stupidity, I see no reason why a fellow human should treat people of such caliber in that manner.

This is what my pastor calls GRACE. If not the grace of God in your life, God know what would have happened to you.

Come to think of it, you in your condition, has passed through a lot of processes and stages in life that billions of able-bodied persons find it difficult to attain. So what are we talking about here. It is not how far, but how well. They don't think about all these. I wonder if they ever put themselves in such positions before taking their nasty decisions.

People and their way of reasoning, when will they ever change.

My brother, keep to your faith, you are far better than a lot of them. Don't let allow no one bring u down, cos u r alredy up

Discrimination against disabled people is a crime.
In the UK they have the DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT 1995.
I wonder if Nigeria has got anything like that.
Even if we do, they have not been enforcing it.

Ofuks, sorry about all these neglets and cruel behaviour from the society. The discrimination against physically challenge people is a societal ill. I am sure God is definitely not happy about it. Your mail is a challenge to those of us who are privilege to have the whole of all body intact to be sensitive to people around us who may require our assistance as a result of their circumstances. There are many jobs physically challenge people can do in companies or Govt agencies. However, the Govt agencies should be held more liable for this neglet. For someone like you who can write and operate a computer, the Govt ought to have a scheme or a policy of getting you people employed. The Govt is suppose to cater for the welfare of its citizens, so it should have a policy whereby a certain percentage of its work force is people of your kind. It should be one of its responsibilities. The private employers on their part should focus on what you can do for them and not your physical appearance. One of our greatest sin is that we do not want to identify with disable people. The disable have always been among us from the bible time and will always be among us. It is not by our strenght or holiness that we are not one. To those who help them God will reward. Those of us who read this post should member them when we rise to good positions in our careers. Who knows one of us (nairaland members) can be President or a governor one day, but for now we should be sensitive.

Ofuks, it is good that you believe in yourself and also want to depend on yourself. This is one great ability of the mind you have that many suppose able people do not have. God will surely crown your great effort soonest, I believe. Please don't give up the good you have started for yourself. My prayer for you is that you will never be a beggar, God forbid this for you. You will earn your own money and also be able to help people. I can hear you say amen.

God bless.

It really is a pity and i think and feel it isn't right, but that is the mentality of the average man, not necessarily Nigerian.
If a man has a job to give out and he has two people who are willing to take the job but one is disabled and the other is not. We all know who gets the job.

Ofuks, i would advice you to be strong and never lose hope, what you want will definitely come to you, if only you believe.

Its really sad. God is on your side and He 'll prove Himself to you as he Has been doing so far. I know theres light at the end of the tunnel. Don't mind all these greedy politicians - instead of investing into a social welfare system for Nigeria they are there building castles in the sky. Thats why our generation need to get into politics to make life better for the average Nigerians.

Oracle, God will give you the job that is yours, rest assured, in Jesus name, Amen.

i sympathise with u 2

Ofuks,
I do not feel any pity for you. rather I am full of shame. Shame for the society that treats visible deformities with disdain while so many of us are internally deformed. Shame and anger that I could only write and advice you even though I wish I could just fix you up with a job.

This is my advice
1. when next you attend an interview, they will get to the point where they will ask if you have any questions. Ask them how they feel about your physical challenge, listen to their response and feel free to tell them what you wrote here (at least the key points). Don't forget to remind them that you have competed with able bodied men before you got to face them. Ask them if they are equal opportunity employers (I know that may sound strange to us here in naija). embarass and blackmail them politely before you leave.
2. If I were you and this sort of thing happens again, I will make a placard, list my qualifications and a request for job on the placard, then I will stand in front of NTA in VI until something happens (of course I would have prayed very well before this)

Lastly, your problem is just the same being faced by able bodied men. Our academic education prepares us only for employment (read slavery). Most of us are not equiped to launch out on our own and become self employed after school. If you could do something to be gainfully self employed, you won't be sitting / standing (with a deformed hand which is visible) before some funny men with deformities that are internal and well hidden. Ofuks, walk around with your head held high.

I pray for you from my heart that God will bring a positive change to your situation but please look around if there's something you can do for yourself to be self employed.

Hello

, its not, the crime is the disability of perception in the mind of the ??non-physically challenged[mentally confused] individual,
Live and let live,
a lot of the so called able persons have worse things in their blood sreams,

Damn shame, we sure have a long way to go in Nigeria

hi every body, have u people hard that the chife of police is dead in abuja?
when is nigeria going to be better?
in just one year we have lots many soles in nigeria.
chife of police?no security? even in abuja.
last time robers enter international air port and took away millions of dollers and naira.
plz am asking thits to everybody that care for his country.
what is the next step to take in nigeria?
every body shuold send me reply at ray-z4all@myway.com
the step am talking about is the govement,the parties in nigeria,our economy, and what u feel will help this country.
cheers everybody
ray.

hi ray,
that's not the topic, u just diverted to something else plz try to understand the topic
we're treating.

You are really strong my brother.God will continue to give you (and others)the enablement to bear the discriminations (we) Nigerians met out to physically challenged citizens.Its really touching but just like ireke said when next you apply for any post be it online or anyhow dont hesitate to let them know you are physically challenged.Who knows they might not mind in the long run (after going through your credentials and all that).And my fellow Nigerians pls lets always be human beings first before we look at physical disabilities!

I am utterly touched by your post.  You did the right thing by standing up to what has happened to you and forging on.  You have no idea what God has in store for you.  Do not ever let dis-eased people make you feel that you are not worthy to them; they are the ones truly suffering because they have no internal strength, unlike yourself.  Thank God I have always made friends with people with all types of abilities (notice I did not say "disabilities".  I, myself, have 20/200 vision without glasses - legally blind - but I don't let it get in my way of enjoying life! Bad vision and all - I have actually enjoyed 20+ years as a professional artist!  Always know that you can do anything you put your mind to.  And God would have not given you life if He did not also give that life a purpose.

Linda

Dear Ofuks,
One thing stands out from your post and that is that you are a thinker. And so rather than pity you, I feel strongly that you will overcome your disability very shortly. I wish you all the best.

no its not,and i really admire your courage keep it up

I feel you Ofuks.
You see, the truth of the matter is that a lot of Nigerians are hypocrites! Big time ones! You should concentrate more on the multi-nationals. Their standards are just wonderful. In the organisation where I work, there exist some physically challenged people. And I must confess that they are BRAINS (excuse me phrase). They are just excellent. One is actually blind and the other is crippled.

I feel for you bro. What I suggest is this:

1. Start your own business. I tell you!!!
2. You can start an organization like an NGO that help in awareness too. Inbetween you can make lotta money even running an awareness NGO. You are a living witness and a testimonial to the suffering of such.

I know here on my side companies are required by law to employ a certain number of disabled persons and the same goes for admission to universities, why can't someone take them to court and challenge the current status quo.

your post was touching ofuks. Take heart. there will always be people who will judge you based soley on your appearance. keep on doing your best and eventually someone will see you for what you are worth which is your weight in gold!

[s]saw the pic on your profile. you sure are one little hottie! [/s]