By Adeola Ogunlade
A board member of the Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind, (FSBN), Mrs. Ayopeju Njideaka, has appealed to government and corporate bodies to support persons who are virtually impaired so that they can independent, self-reliance and cope with virtual impairment.
Njideaka made this call recently at the Open Day Project/Funds raising ceremony of the FNSB held in Oshodi, Lagos. Some of the products on display at the event were tye and dye (adire), liquid soap, key holders, hand-made bags, and baskets, among others.
According to her, virtually impaired persons desire to live their life to the fullness again in and the need to stabilise them and give them hope for the future is imperative.
She noted that blindness is not a mental case, adding that the visually impaired can be rehabilitated and empowered to live life at its full potential.
She disclosed that the Open Day Project would be done quarterly to bring people to interact with the blind and to generate funds.
Njideaka reiterate the commitment of the school toward rehabilitating persons who are virtually impaired, saying that staffing and providing well equip facilities for training is very expensive and thus requires lots of support and partnership.
“We are open to partnerships, adopt a student model, patronage of students crafts and other form of support in any kind so that together we can help adolescent and professionals who suffers from blindness due to hazard of their job and through other means”, he said.
One of the experts, Sunday Ibironke, stressed that there was a need for equal opportunities and inclusiveness in government for People Living With Disabilities (PLWD), saying they need empathy and not pity.
He said: “l am part of this family. I have a son and a mother with disabilities. We are all prone to disability either through accident, old age, diseases or other ailments.” He called on Nigerians to invest on people living with various forms of disabilities in the society.
A former student and a teacher at the school, Mr. Philip Oluwole, urged families to promote self-reliance among the visually impaired while also asking their relatives to show more care for them.