Nigerian education news

With the right support, pupils living with disabilities can conquer their challenges, FOLASHADE ADEBAYO writes

He was two years old when doctors diagnosed him with autism, a development disability. Now 17, Agbolade Akande has surpassed all developmental and academic expectations. The secondary school leaver, who obtained seven alphas in the International General Certificate of Secondary Education has also secured admission to study Physics and Mathematics in a university in the United States of America.

Agbolade’s story was one of the highlights at the just concluded International Conference on Disabilities in Lagos. During the ‘Gala Nite’ programme held at the Civic Centre on Wednesday, his mother, Debo, took to the stage to share her son’s journey through school in spite of his disability.

Debo, who is also the current Vlisco Woman of the Year for her commitment in the field of autism, said she left her job as an economist to support her son. She later founded the Patrick Speech and Language Centre, Lagos in 2006.

According to her, it is crucial for parents and guardians to identify the areas of strengths of a child living with disability.

“Agbolade has always been a brilliant pupil and that is because he followed his path. He is very good in the sciences and has always excelled in Physics and Chemistry. So, there was no abstract subject, such as Literature for him. He will soon travel to the United States to study Physics and Mathematics,’’ she said.

But Agbolade is not only pupil with disabilities who have surmounted many challenges to win academic and career laurels.

Farida Bedwei, a Ghanaian was a year old when doctors also diagnosed her of cerebral palsy. In an interview with our correspondent on Wednesday, she said living with disabilities had been challenging. The redeeming feature for the 35-year-old, however, was her mother who noticed that she had an attraction or computers. It was thus decided for her to forego attending senior high school for a one-year computer course.

Today, Bedwei is an accomplished Software Engineer who the Chief Executive Officer of a South Africa-based magazine acknowledged was the most influential woman in business and government in the financial sector in Africa.

Also, Bedwei considers the development of a certain cloud software platform being used by 130 microfinance companies as her biggest accomplishment so far.

“I am a role model for many children with disabilities and I always tell them that they not handicapped., I must tell you, it has not been easy dealing with them, but I thank God for my parents who taught me to be independent and go for my goals,’’ she said.