A special carnival for people with disabilities has opened in Abuja to encourage and harness their potentials in facing the challenges in life.
Coordinator of the carnival, Miss Onyebe Ella, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja that the event was also to help children with disabilities overcome the stigma from the society and face life with confidence.
“This is the first time we are doing it and we hope to do this annually, we look forward to more activities for children with disabilities.
“I also have hearing loss and so, I understand the challenges people like me go through and because of that, I have decided to stand for them to be able to bring them together and to create awareness and take off the stigma.
“It’s also to avoid other children belittling them that we brought them together with normal children to interact and appreciate the potentials of each other.”
Ella canvassed for free education for people with disabilities in the country.
“The government is trying but not enough; we want them to focus on people with disabilities.
“The children will also know they have a brighter future if the government will make it work and get them educated.
“We need to help them, there are some children with multiple disabilities that there is nothing they can do, but we can all make them feel happy and special whether at family or societal level,” she added.
The coordinator stressed that children with disabilities in the country required more attention, adding that the carnival was part of efforts to draw attention to their concerns.
“We want more attention on children with disabilities, creating awareness for them; we want organizations to focus more on children with disabilities and give them a bright future.
“We want full support from the government and around the world. We want the whole world to know about us and how these children feel.
“What we are doing is to enable them to communicate and associate with other children and the world,” Ella added.
On the possibility of making the carnival an annual event, the coordinator said it was her hope to do so if she could get the required support and partnership.
“I searched for sponsorship but wasn’t able to get any, except a white lady, Anna Marie, who contributed the little she could; every other person declined.
“But the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities are fully in support and I know with time they will be with us,” she added.
Ella expressed the hope that the carnival would “help tell the stories of especially people living with disabilities”, and uncover the creativity in them.
“It is our duty to ensure that we tell accurate stories of people living with disabilities, using the art and creative industry,” she added.
She, however, said other children who wished to be with them were also here.
Donald Unanka, a filmmaker and Creative Director, Potters Gallery Initiative, said the carnival was organised in such a way that the stakeholders in the industry would notice what the organisers were doing and support the initiative.
One of the children at the carnival, Aluko Michael said he was with his fellow mates for memories to show that children were not just children but talented and unique.
“We are here to show everyone that we children are talented and everything we do is unique because we are God’s gift.”
Aisha Yakubu also said she was happy to play, eat, learn art work and have fun. (NAN)
