Stop discriminating against people with disability, Olawuyi charges Nigerians

A Professor at the Department of Social Sciences Education, University of Ilorin, Bolanle Olabisi Olawuyi, has charged Nigerians, particularly stakeholders, to stop all forms of discrimination against individuals who are living with one form of disability or the other, to ensure proper integration.

Prof. Olawuyi made this charge last Thursday (April 25, 2024) while delivering the 255th Inaugural Lecture of the University titled “People with Disabilities and the Celebration of Life Beyond Limits” at the University Main Auditorium.

The don canvassed that more accessibility and  accommodation should be extended to persons with disability in order to ensure adequate and even human capital development.

Prof. Olawuyi noted that several forms of discrimination are being perpetrated against people living with disability, saying that some of them who struggled to obtain quality education and earned respectable qualifications are more often than not  denied the job of their choice because of their physical disability.

The don explained that those who are living with disability are not less human and so there is need for deliberate efforts to be made for them to live a useful life, adding that concerted efforts must be made for this category of citizens not to become  liability to the society.

To start with, Prof. Olawuyi advised parents not to hide their children who have one form of disability or another. She explained that when such a category of children and wards are brought out on time they will be able to access quality education.

She also suggested that more “assistive” and adaptive technologies should be injected into the system to be able to include and assist people with disability properly.

Prof. Olawuyi also canvassed for the renaming of the University of Ilorin’s Centre for Supportive Services for the Deaf to a more encompassing name, which would reflect the great work it is doing and to also give a sense of belonging to people with other types of disability. She, therefore, suggested that the name of the Centre should be changed to “Disability Support Centre.”

While noting that the proper ratio for interpreters is two interpreters to a deaf person, the inaugural lecturer charged the University to effect this in order to be able to take care of the peculiar situations of the people with that type of disability.

Prof. Olawuyi also implored the authorities of the University of Ilorin to establish a Department of Special Education as a matter of urgency. She explained that the University has enough manpower to run the proposed Department successfully.

She also called on stakeholders to ensure that awareness on the characteristics of autism disorder syndrome are created and sustained so as not to mislabel such children.

In order to be able to handle every category of learners adequately and professionally, the Inaugural Lecturer said that every teacher training programme in Nigeria should compulsorily include elements of Special Education.

She similarly canvassed the inclusion of Special Education in the General Studies programme of institutions of higher learning. Prof. Olawuyi explained that the inclusion would enable the society to be aware of their counterparts with disabilities and the causes of disabilities.

Justyfing the reason why employers of labour should always consider qualified and competent people with disability for suitable employment in their various organisations, Prof. Olawuyi urged  stakeholders to employ other professionals that would be helpful in providing inclusive education for people with disability.