At an interactive session organized by the O.A.U Foundation in conjunction with the Saint Jude medical organization in Nashville Tennessee, USA. The Founder/C.E.O of O.A.U Foundation Mr. Onyekwere Akym Uche, who is an entrepreneur and philanthropist addressed the issue of people living with disability in the United States and reflected on the disadvantage and trauma the Disabled face in Africa.

Reported by Janesia Harlston

At an interactive session organized by the O.A.U Foundation in conjunction with the Saint Jude medical organization in Nashville Tennessee, USA. The Founder/C.E.O of O.A.U Foundation Mr. Onyekwere Akym Uche, who is an entrepreneur and philanthropist addressed the issue of people living with disability in the United States and reflected on the disadvantage and trauma the Disabled face in Africa. He explained that a disability is any medical condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or effectively interact with the world around them. These conditions, or impairments, may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or a combination of multiple factors. Impairments causing disability may be present from birth or occur during a person’s lifetime. He’s of the opinion that people living with disability are not adequately catered for. In one of his meetings with the representatives of people living with disability Abia State chapter via phone, they highlighted the challenges and neglect by the government and the society casting them away as incomplete.

Mr. Onyekwere reaffirmed his commitment to the disabled community that if voted into office he would make structural and proactive changes that would impact the lives of all Abians. While he is still a private citizen, he would keep pushing for change until people living with disability are recognized as equal human beings. Part of his objective is to create Financial Assistance, Low Income Program Assistance that will aid people living with disability to be empowered and contribute their quota to the development of Abia state. His administration will focus on the interest of Abians. Every living person matters, that some are living with disability does not displace them as non-living, we owe it as a duty of care to provide for the disabled because it’s their right.

Reference was made to “Youreable Forum” which is an online community for people with disability to share their experiences and support each other. Also, “Disabilities-R-us.com” is the premier online community created by and for people with physical disabilities. It’s been in existence for 24 years and they render assistance to people with disability.

O.A.U shared his adventure during his career as a caregiver in his early years in America, he was assigned to people living with physical disability and mental disability. He understands their plights and pains. During the course of his employment, he took good care of his clients which earned him their trust and affection. Three of his clients passed away, until this day he still thinks of them and that makes him very emotional. The O.A.U Foundation was formed under the auspice as at when he was a caregiver and he vowed to assist people in general when he can and where he can.

In the United States, they have the Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. As an American citizen, you are given a social security number in which all your information is incorporated into it. The United States has a central database that collects the people’s information and stores it for any transaction. Laws are constituted by the legislative tier of government and provisions are made to cater for all citizens, special additions were also made for people living with disability to receive government benefits through their social security. O.A.U believes such policy and initiative ought to be put in place in Nigeria, if you have people of good will in the executive and legislative arm of government. In Nigeria, the most recent census was conducted in 2006 and it was plagued by political interference. In 2012, the Nigeria National Bureau of Statistics pegged the population of citizens at around 166.2 million people. In 2006 Abia population was pegged at 2,845,380. In 2016 Abia population was 3,727,347. The statistics does not say how many of that population is disabled, rather it shows the population of all living being.

The government and the society must step up in their responsibility and duty to people living with disability by taking a cue from other countries, they should be treated as equal devoid of any discrimination or bias towards them. Laws should be enacted to provide for them and the society must make efforts to minimize their disability impact. People living with disability can add value to the society, take for instance John Nash, he got fame due to his expertise in mathematics and his work in game theory, differential geometry and partial differential equations are considered as ground breaking. He got the education of chemical engineering, chemistry and mathematics at Carnegie Mellon University in 1959. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He received different awards and recognition including the memorial Prize in Economic Science in 1994. Another is Stephen Hawking, included in the list of most inspiring of the world having major disabilities. He is a British theoretical physicist and has over 40 successful years of meaningful career. In 2009, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has written numerous books and his public appearance has made him an academic celebrity.

There are people like this in Abia state and Nigeria who are gifted yet, they’ve been neglected. They deserve our attention because it is their right.