Living with a physical disability in Nigeria is extremely challenging, especially when the disability is a severe one such as the type that confines one to a wheelchair. From navigating school to career, relationships, and life generally, people with physical disabilities are severely disadvantaged. The level of sheer discrimination they face, and the fact that they are written off by society, or even considered a nuisance is nauseating and unbelievable to say the least, such that it can be justified that the amount of discrimination that persons with disabilities in Nigeria face is tantamount to persecution, but that's a topic for another day. Have you ever imagined what it feels like to be a permanent wheelchair user going to school or applying for jobs in a country where there are no accommodations for persons like these? In western countries like the US, it is not as bad, thanks to the presence of a disability rights law known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination and mandates the provision of reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. In Nigeria, for decades, there was no disabilities rights law, and, as such, persons with disabilities who experience discrimination were not able pursue legal justice. However, on On January 23, 2019, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018. While this was great victory for the ever-persistent disability community, implementation of this law has yet to be observed anywhere in country, making it seem like the Act is a farce and a sham.

If you are affected directly or indirectly by a physical disability in Nigeria (say a close friend or relative of yours is disabled, or it is you who is disabled), let's have a conversation about the way forward. We cannot sit and keep complaining; we need to take actions. Past efforts led to the passage of this which bill which prior had lingered in the National Assembly for 9 years, but seeing that it has yet to be implemented, we cannot rest on our oars. Let's start by identifying areas to act upon and we can move forward from there to work towards a change. I have a few questions to ask you:

1. What do you see as the most serious issue affecting the disability community?
2. Why do you see this as the most serious issue for you?
3. What do you think is the best solution to this issue?
4. Personally, I think lack of accessibility of the physical environment is the most serious issue affecting the disability community in Nigeria, because when you are in a wheelchair and are unable to navigate the environment without barriers and have to rely on people to lift or carry you from time to time or you cannot even access public buildings like banks and restaurants, you are somehow quarantined or incapacitated, and there is very little that you can do. Therefore, the solution I am proposing is to mandate the creation of accessibility in public buildings, especially schools. If you cannot build the ramp or put an elevator in the building, don't start that company at all. Public buildings should be given a notification of six months to one year of closure if they don't comply. What do you think about this, and how would you like to participate in this proposed solution?
5. How do you think people with and without disabilities can come together for a common good of advocating for change that would lead to a better life for this community? Where do you think we can start from? What resources do you think we need to effectively actualize these goals?

Please, kindly contribute by answering each of these questions, and please identify how a disability affects you. Your answers will be used anonymously in a survey in New York City where a group of people are working assiduously toward making a change in the disability community in Nigeria. Your answers will go a long way in helping us identify necessary steps to take.

Thank you for your time.

lalasticlala, seun, this is a serious issue concerning the most marginalized group in Nigeria. Could you pls move to the front page for more awareness?