₦airaland Forum

Students Protest 1-Year Closure of FARMCRAFT School for the Blind in Lagos

On Monday, blind Lagosians were seen protesting the prolonged shutdown of Nigeria FARMCRAFT Center for the Blind at Airport Road, Ikeja. They were demanding that the school be reopened and requesting President Bola Tinubu’s intervention.

In a video posted at 1 pm on X, several blind protesters can be seen holding banners with quotes demanding the reopening of the school. The protesters began chanting, “We no go gree!”

“We want the president of Nigeria to meet our welfare. We want them to open our school. The school has been closed since last year, come and open the school. That is the only federal school in Nigeria for the blind,” one of the protesters cried.

Another protester said, “They didn’t see any other school to lock, it’s this one.”

Some protesters also held a banner for the Inner Eye Foundation/The Blind Community and appealed to the office of the President, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives to reopen FARMCRAFT Center for the Blind and look into the welfare of People With Disabilities (PWDs).

Nigeria Farmcraft Center for the Blind (NFCB) was established in 1957 by humanitarians Sir John and Lady Wilson. The school became a federal institution after Nigeria’s independence.

NFCB was shut down for a period of two years between 2017 and 2019. In a report published in 2019, Mohammed Shuaibu Afegbua, the principal of NFCB, told ICIR that NFCB had not admitted or trained any student since 2016.

Due to the fact that NFCB is a federal institution and operates on a quota basis, it is not allowed to admit up to 20 students from a single state for one academic year. Only three students are allowed per state. This constraint ignores a lot of blind people who do not have access to special education.

At the time, Afegbua mentioned that many states had candidates waiting from six years back.

Now, the blind community in Lagos is demanding that NFCB be reopened after another closure.

When FIJ contacted the Ministry of Education on Monday via phone call, the responder said they did not have a response at the time. They asked FIJ to send a letter to the ministry via email.

ikorodureporta:
Lagos state government school do something about these people.... The first lady Oluremi Tinubu can also intervene with her billions..

All local government should have a centre/ school for the blind...

Many of them come from places as far as my place in Ikorodu....

I

NewHe:
Everything na president!
That's why every dick and harry wants power because of enormous authority in the office!
The FGN should co-opt the school into the Vocational and technical colleges with free tuition!
Admission should be based on merit and quota 6% : 4 % with just 250admission slots each year!

NFCB is a federal institution

Cj4charles:
This one is very important oooo, the government should not ignore their call please

autoez:
Tinubu listens and i believe he will attend to them ASAP.

autoez:
Tinubu listens and i believe he will attend to them ASAP.

just2endowed:
this government is heartless.
DID you know that this physical challenge people pay for high exorbitant school fees?

lexy2014:
did he listen to nigerians when they protested in 2024 against the economic hardship his policies and incompetence unleashed?

ikorodureporta:
Lagos state government school do something about these people.... The first lady Oluremi Tinubu can also intervene with her billions..

All local government should have a centre/ school for the blind...

Many of them come from places as far as my place in Ikorodu....

I

autoez:
Only lazy people are complaining hardship. Nigeria's economy is on the right path

May 1, 2025

May Day: Hunger, unemployment, insecurity real— Tinubu

According to him: “The theme demands our collective attention and serves as a stark reminder of the need to create an environment where every worker feels safe, valued, and empowered to contribute to the growth and prosperity of our nation. As your President, I assure you that this administration is committed to creating such an environment for the common good.”

On the economic hardship, he noted that while it is a global phenomenon, its effects on Nigerians are particularly severe.

Tinubu said: “I am aware of the peculiarities of the economic hardship Nigerians face—rising living costs, hunger, insecurity, unemployment, and the loss of livelihoods. These challenges are real and demand definitive solutions, which I am poised to address as your President.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/05/may-day-hunger-unemployment-insecurity-real-tinubu/

autoez:
Tinubu listens and i believe he will attend to them ASAP.

iamL:
I thought those schools are almost free?

Fourth four and four characters metcheeeeeeeew.

lexy2014:
I did not ask you about that but since you mentioned it, no problem.

please how is the economy on the "right path"?

what is this "right path"?

at what time was the economy on the wrong path and who was responsible for the economy being on the wrong path?

what are those things that characterised the economy being on the wrong path?

this is what Tinubu said on the 1st of May, 2025. are you saying that tinubu is lazy?



meanwhile,



did he listen to nigerians when they protested in 2024 against the economic hardship his policies and incompetence unleashed?

autoez:
When I mentioned that Nigeria's economy is on the right path, I was reflecting on recent developments and reforms that seem to be steering things in a positive direction, based on what’s been shared publicly. Let me break it down for you.
The "right path" I refer to suggests an economy that’s showing signs of stabilization and growth, with efforts to address long-standing issues. For instance, recent data and statements from President Tinubu’s administration, including his May 1, 2025, speech and his May 29, 2025, second-anniversary address, highlight progress like a narrowing fiscal deficit (from 5.4% of GDP in 2023 to 3.0% in 2024), increased revenue (over N6 trillion in Q1 2025), and a rise in external reserves from $4 billion in 2023 to over $23 billion by the end of 2024. These steps, including the removal of fuel subsidies and tax reforms, are presented as moves to build a more sustainable economic foundation, despite the initial hardships.
As for when the economy was on the "wrong path," it’s hard to pin an exact date, but many point to years of reliance on unsustainable policies like decades-long fuel subsidies and a corruption-ridden multiple exchange rate system which drained resources and hindered growth. This isn’t about blaming one person or administration alone; it’s a cumulative challenge from various leaders and systemic issues over time, including periods before Tinubu’s tenure. The "wrong path" was characterized by high debt service ratios (nearly 100% of revenue in 2022), inflation, and an economy vulnerable to global shocks, as Tinubu himself noted in his speeches, describing the pre-reform state as a "chokehold" on Nigeria’s future.
Regarding your question about Tinubu being lazy, no, that’s not what I meant at all! My original comment about "lazy people complaining" was a general observation, not aimed at him or anyone specific. It was more about encouraging resilience amid tough times, not a judgment on the President. Tinubu’s speeches, like the one on May 1, 2025, acknowledge the difficulties (rising living costs, unemployment, insecurity) but frame his reforms as necessary to avoid a worse collapse, runaway inflation, debt default, and fuel shortages. He’s actively pushing policies, which shows effort, not laziness.
I’m not an economist, and this is based on the administration’s own reports and public sentiment. The "right path" is still a work in progress, and not everyone feels the benefits yet, that’s fair to point out. I’d love to hear your thoughts or concerns too, as this is a complex topic, and we can all learn from each other.