Ikiotere Ayebatonye’s disability would never hold him back from achieving his dreams. Despite the challenges he faced, he went through school undaunted. Now a serving corps member in Bayelsa State, he trudges on undeterred. CALEB IJIOMA reports.
Every human being has aspirations which can define their actions and decisions. To those who grew up with physical challenges, living for people’s pity or not, becomes a matter of choice.
A physical disability is a physical condition that affects a person’s mobility, physical capacity, stamina, or dexterity. This can include brain or spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, respiratory disorders, epilepsy, hearing and visual impairments and more.
With an estimated 25 million disabled persons in Nigeria, about one in every eight Nigerians live with at least one form of disability. Most common of these disabilities are visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical impairment, intellectual impairment, and communication impairment. Disabilities could be caused by preventable diseases, congenital malformation, birth-related incidents, physical injury and psychological dysfunction. Although statistics are scanty about the demographic distribution of disability in Nigeria, available data suggests that there are significantly more disabled women than men in the country and that due to the insurgency in the Northeast, the region hosts the highest number of people with disability in the country.
For 25-year-old Ikiotere Ayebatonye who was born with upper and lower limbs case disability, living has been challenging with skepticism surrounding his future. Ikiotere who hails from Liama community of Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, is the third child of his mother, Pagabo Ebigoni, a petty trader who sells bean cake (akara) and pap to cater for her family. Her husband died 12 years ago, making her the breadwinner of the family.
“While growing up, I was just contemplating within myself. How can every other child be normal and able bodied while I am different? I could not comprehend since I was born disabled,” he said.
Where it all started from
Ayebatonye who grew up in the village fought through his physical deformity and even in his disability to experience fun with other kids in his neighbourhood. He however at a point, thought about his disability and why he is different from his mates, these thoughts led to several states of depression. He wished he was never born.
But he was able to scale through with the help of his mother. At a point, his future seemed blurry, he swore not to be hindered by his physical state, accepted his deformity and pushed to be better.
“I was born the way I am and I grew up in my village. I’ll tell you that most of my mates, children who grew up with me never saw my physical deformity and even the elderly in the village. I was accepted the way I am, my family was just fair enough with me. I did not allow my physical deformity to depress me. I had all the fun in my childhood, playing in all types of places. Though, in some cases, some children would behave stupid and I’ll just take it that that child is just stupid and just be myself.
“My mother has five children, and I’m the third. The way she responded to my disability even when she had two boys before me was awesome. She is the one reason I have confidence. She believes I am what God says I am, and that’s the mentality I grew up with.
“I was told my deformity is “upper and lower limbs case disability” but I normally said I was physically challenged. While growing up, I had several thoughts within myself. I thought of how I am different in the midst of normal and able bodied people. I could not comprehend since I was born disabled, but I was lucky my brothers and people who were around me were literally looking up to me academically.”
“While growing up, I began to wonder how my life would be in the future. I could not do bus conducting (Agbero) or other rough things with guys. What I decided to do was to focus on my academics, believing in myself that my physical disability would not be a hindrance to live the best of my life and become whatever I have my focus on. There were cases like when I felt hurt and sometimes asked God questions. Sometimes, I didn’t want to come out and sometimes I wished I never existed. So the way my disability has been for me is, I just live my life the way it is and try not to live in regret or seek pity because it will take me nowhere.” he said
Becoming a graduate amid obvious challenges
Despite his deformity, after graduating from secondary school, he went ahead to obtain the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination form without the consent of his mother who wanted him to learn a craft considering his physical state. His desire not to end up on the street inspired him to make a bold decision to sit for the examination without informing his mother.
After the examination, he gained admission to study management science in Niger Delta University in 2016. Right there in the university, he faced challenges as a result of his deformity,despite having beautiful experiences.
His dream of becoming a graduate was achieved and he’s currently undergoing his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme in Bayelsa State, a feat mixed with depression, passion and determination.
“I had beautiful experiences, from my course mates to roommates and even the lecturers, they were fair enough. They didn’t segregate. They encouraged me more. The challenges that I had were when other disabled persons do something wrong, they generalise it to every disabled person. I have been a victim due to some disabled person’s antecedent. When I go to such places, I received insults from other people because I’m disabled as well. What did I do? Life goes on, it’s just for me to live a productive life and tell them that even with disability, one can be what God says one can.
“Sometimes my rights are being trampled on. Let me tell you one case in school. There was this course I failed but I was confident I didn’t fail. So, I went to meet the lecturer. He thought I wanted to use my disability to gain favour and he spoke ill of me. I felt so bad about it. I was so annoyed as well. The truth is, I think I’m a strong guy. That’s why I keep striving, if not I would have thought of life as otherwise.
“I am serving in Bayelsa State. My camping trip was fun. I was at Ede camp, Osun State and the camp experience was great. I participated in everything except parades. I partied, participated in Skill Acquisition lectures, woke up 4 am to morning devotion, got to the field early to sit by the corner to watch the parade. My place of primary assignment is fair, they sent me to my field -Ministry of Trade and Investment- and I studied Management Sciences, so I am going to work to gain more experience” he said.
Hopes for the future after bitter relationship experience
Ayebatonye got separated from his lover after she travelled out of the country and found another man. Since then, he has been single, chasing financial independence and making plans for his future.
He wants to have a business in the agro based sector even with his shoe-making skills. For many people living with disabilities, he has chosen to stand out and to make a difference in the world of persons with disabilities (PWDs).
“We have many more worrisome things to be concerned about like poverty, crisis, chaos, parents dumping their children in the gutters, on the refuse, and many more disheartening things going on in the world. The least I can do is not to sit in one place and look at people to feel sorry for me and beg or depend on people to give me before I eat. I am a kind of guy that believes our physical deformity should not make us to be lazy.
“All of us belong somewhere in this world, it is left for us to figure it out and live life to the fullest than staying in one corner to look pitiable, thinking there is nothing for us in this world.
“I have the intention to create my own business in the agro-based sector, but I don’t have the financial capabilities. So, I need to work to generate money. I have learnt shoemaking, but that’s just for security in case my plans don’t work out. I’m still in the learning process, so I haven’t faced any challenges except lack of funds.
“Just give us peace, also, give us the space and watch us (people with disabilities) manifest God’s glory that’s in us. To the people with disabilities, don’t think the world is over or you don’t have a purpose in this world because you are disabled, we have every chance to manifest God glory in our lives” he said.
Nigeria’s law on disability
On January 23, 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, following nine years of relentless advocacy by disability rights groups and activists. The law brought a major relief to anti-defamation campaigners, who accused government of not doing enough to protect citizens with disabilities. The law brought a major development in protecting the rights of people living with disabilities.
The law prohibits all forms of discrimination against persons with disability. If an individual is found violating this law, he/she will pay a fine of N100,000 or a term of six months imprisonment.
The law imposes a fine of one million naira on corporate bodies, discrimination against such persons is prohibited in public transportation facilities and service providers are to make provision for the physically, visually and hearing impaired and all persons howsoever challenged. This applies to seaports, railways and airport facilities. The rights and privileges of persons with disability include education, health care, priority in accommodation and emergencies. All public organisations are to reserve at least five per cent of employment opportunities for these persons.
The Act gives citizens with disabilities the right to file a lawsuit for damage against any defaulter. It provides for a five-year transitional period within which public buildings, structures or automobiles are to be modified to be accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities, including those on wheelchairs. Before a public structure is constructed, its plans shall be inspected by relevant authorities to ensure that the plan conforms with the building code.
A government or government agency, body or individual responsible for the approval of building plans shall not approve the plan of a public building if the plan does not make provision for accessibility facilities in line with the building code.
An officer who approves or directs the approval of a building plan that contravenes the building code, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of at least N1,000,000 or a term of imprisonment of two years or both. In Section 31 of the Act, the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities will be established and an Executive Secretary will be appointed as the head of the commission.
Poor implementation of disability law
Peter Ekemini, programme officer at the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) said there are still gaps in the implementation of the disability act as government institutions and parastatals to a very large extent, do not know their roles and responsibilities, as well as the provisions of the disability act.
CCD is the premier organisation for persons with disabilities that works to promote disability rights, independent living, inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in development agenda.
Ekemini, however, hailed the Federal Government in signing the disability bill as an act after 18 years of struggle and also implementing section 31 of the Act, which provides for the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.
“The Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 is weakly implemented. But, we must commend efforts of the government in signing the disability bill as an act.’’
“There are still gaps in the implementation of the disability act as government institutions and parastatals to a very large extent do not know their clear roles and responsibilities, as well as the provisions of the disability act,” he said.
He lamented that the social economic condition of the country was affecting Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
“It is evident that the social economic condition of the country at this point is critical for most citizens of the country, as such, PWDs are the worst hit of this crisis, ranging from the high level of insecurity, high cost of living, inaccessible health care, high level of discrimination, negligence on the part of the government to provide sustainable welfare packages in the post COVID-19 era, among many others.”
Ekemini said Persons with Disabilities are being abused and discriminated against daily.
“Cases of abuse and discrimination of PWDs are recorded on a daily basis across Nigeria but till date data remains a major challenge in the disability community,” he said.
He urged government at all levels to create an enabling environment for PWDs to effectively participate in decision making at every level of governance.
“Government at every level should create enabling environment for PWDs to effectively participate in decision making at every level of governance.
“Also PWDs should be encouraged to participate in politics. Government institutions should domesticate the disability act in their organisations’ policy framework to enable PWDs participate on an equal basis with others.”
