₦airaland Forum

Former governor, Gbenga Daniel's physically challenged son, Debola Daniel, shares his story about living in Nigeria as a disabled person.

From an accessible perspective, that concert was a disaster.

Maybe later I will do a thread about how Nigerian events constantly exclude people who look like me.

It’s quite humbling to be always ‘othered’ by an industry/country I love so much.

https://twitter.com/DebolaDaniel/status/1609868053780496387?s=20&t=-j-ZvgY2XH3s3HJvR3K5BQ

To be a disabled Nigerian is a lonely, scary and isolated place. I have often struggled to articulate my Nigerian experience in a way people could understand.

There’s never a place for you. Not in the infrastructure, not in social settings and increasingly not in society. It’s a feeling of constantly being made to act grateful for the being included as an afterthought.

Everything in my life requires pre-thought and planning. If I get to Maison Fahrenheit and the lift isn’t working. Where do I go? If I get to The House/Danfo Bistro and I get met with endless steps. What do I do? If I buy a table at a concert and can’t get in, what do I do?

How do I let my friends know that it’s cool, we’d catch up another time. How quickly can I mask my disappointment and sadness with “omo it’s cool”? Can I handle my driver telling me that Gods time is best and not to be so downcast as we drive back home?

I cannot count how many times I’ve been made to feel less human at Murtala Mohammed Airport. To feel like a ‘thing’ to be handed off to the next person down the line. Like a suitcase.

“Put him there” “park am for there” “can he talk” “sign this for him”. It’s endless and incessant. Your voice is constantly being stripped away. Your presence eroded. You know the ironic thing?

I’m a rich, powerful Nigerian. Someone that my mere surname commands respect. I am the privileged few. I am the disabled Nigerian that they should respect. The one they recognise. The one they must treat well.

If my voice and my very being can be marginalised, what then of the voice of the average disabled Nigerian out there? What then of the Nigerian who doesn’t have the power to walk into a location with an army of armed escorts?

I have been to hospitals that have flights of stairs to get into. I have been to banks without ways to get in. Residential buildings are inaccessible. Pavements cannot be wheeled upon independently. As a fiercely independent person, I can’t live a life in Nigeria without help.

This lack of inclusion, the lack of access and the systemic exclusion from society has been simmering inside me for years. It’s strange that what has tipped me over the edge was reading about the events that occurred at that concert last night.

I saw clips and read tweets from the safety of my couch and was horrified at how much planning I would have had to undertake to attend that concert yet still end up unprepared for that.

How would I have gotten in? How would I have gotten out? Where could I go pee? If it’s true that they were shooting tear gas and there was a stampede, what would I have done?

Then I realised that I’m going to the same artiste’s concert in London in a few months and I have zero of those worries. I am privileged. I can just attend in London.

But don’t I owe it to the average disabled Nigerian to say that with the global visibility Afrobeats is getting, maybe, just maybe someone will remember that disabled Nigerians exist?

That we have a right to be included in the planning and execution of the vision of Nigeria. Not just at an accessible level but at all levels?

I would like to one day see accessibility and inclusion made a priority not just as an afterthought. I deserve to see myself as part of Nigeria.

To see myself being included in planning and infrastructure. To see myself positively in Nigerian stories not just as the cripple that Patience Ozokwor poisoned on Nollywood. I am more that a stereotype. I am human. And it’ll be nice if you saw that too.

https://twitter.com/DebolaDaniel/status/1609987182889951236

I understand the plights of disabled people in Nigeria, Nigerians normally don't like helping such people, they will avoid you like plague.


I remember pushing a disabled man on wheelchair to his destination when he asked for my help

Nigerians wey no get Joy..
E con be say your papa na politician

You get luck, what about those wey papa no get money

true talk

You are an Ex Governor's son.
You're complaining..

Now, imagine what thousands of less significant people who are disabled pass through..
May God help you all.

Very true

Able bodied person sef dey struggle to survive

Naija no nice at all

especially when u are poor.

Btvu re living a better life even pass people wen u no get disabilities for Nigeria

God1000:
I understand the plights of disabled people in Nigeria, Nigerians normally don't like helping such people, they will avoid you like plague.

Not true

South Africa have the best provision for disabled in Africa

Everybody get problem.. Some complete persons are living worse...

Life balance!!!

We are all disabled cos of apc

Imagine the downtrodden disabled Nigerians living in the trenches and the rabbit hole. I saw one the other day and I wrote something in a piece of paper "sometimes death is a solution" and added to 500# and gave him. What that guy de live is not a life.

Tinubu from Iragbiji is a sick and disabled gigolo.

Urchins feel free!

Truly, But does his father treat the other poor disables well?

Why is he calling out Patience Ozokwor is such a derogatory manner?

The Rich also CrY

If you look in depth u will find out that the rich have more problems than the poor. Its just that their problems are not always visible like that of the poor.

Life is hard generally

E no easy for abled, talkless of disabled

Even as a non disabled, Nigeria is very hard. Just find a way to grind it out

Even we that are able are finding it difficult to live a comfortable life talkless of disabled

Chai.. even people that are not disabled, Nigeria dey use their eyes see shege!

nlfpmod:
Former governor, Gbenga Daniel's physically challenged son, Debola Daniel, shares his story about living in Nigeria as a disabled person.



https://twitter.com/DebolaDaniel/status/1609868053780496387?s=20&t=-j-ZvgY2XH3s3HJvR3K5BQ



https://twitter.com/DebolaDaniel/status/1609987182889951236

The guy said he is rich. How did he become rich?

Living in Nigeria is tough generally, not to talk of being disabled.

Nigeria is not a real place.

The day this evil handover happened was the day Nigeria finished kpàtakpà.

Should I ask him what his father did as a governor to incorporate the existence of disabled in his state? Or should I just pretend like that does not matter?

With all the influence, connections(both national and international) and finance he has at his beck and call he should have pioneered a strong movement or NGO to push for and sensitise the government to mandate inclusion of accessories for the disabled in public spaces. That is how privileged people use their influence to create change in the society.

So true even a complete man is struggling in this part of the world