…As Ezenwa warns against entitlement mentality
…Your determination to succeed, a testament to your unwavering spirit – Muse
The Chairman of Apapa Local Government Area, Hon. Mrs. Idowu Adejumoke Sebanjo has called on women with disabilities to take their limitations as tools to empower themselves to strive for goals.
Sebanjo who made the call during the celebration of the International Women’s Day, IWD with women with disabilities with the theme, “Accelerate Action Against All Odds”, organized by Bomarah Foundation in partnership with Chanelle Foundation in Lagos on Thursday, advised them against self pity adding that once they eschew self pity, they were bound to achieve their set goals in life and attract respect from the people.
She said, “When you are not looking for pity, and you are ready to work, you are ready to do what you have to do irrespective of to say that you are just like every other person, you will meet respect. But when you expect people to pity you, and say oh! because you are this, ah! help me, you will not get any respect. And the minute you can get respect, there’s no limit to where and what you can achieve.
“So, please, I implore you, no matter what your challenge is, women here have said so much, I don’t want to go back to what they are saying about this or that but I can only encourage you and you need to come together to work together. Don’t ever give yourself a barrier.
“And don’t say we are disabled, they are treating us this or that way. Self pity will not get you anywhere. When you are determined, in fact, that is what will now push us to do more for you. It is that determination anywhere you go to, you come together as a force. It is determination that will get you and when people see that you are not using your limitations to abuse what you want to get, that is when you will get more help than you can imagine.
“So, please, my sisters, you need to take your limitations as a tool and empower yourself with that limitations to strive for goals. And by God’s grace, you will get them. I am so impressed, I didn’t know what to say with the children that came out this afternoon. That they are not even hearing the music that they are dancing to, yet, they were dancing coordinatively.”
Noting that there were so many things that the government was doing to help women especially those with disabilities, she said, “But the truth of the matter is that you do not take advantage of these things and you do not even take the time to find out what government is doing for people like you. If you go to the state, there’s a lot that the government is doing for the disabled people.
“In the local government, I cannot say we are doing much but with the state, there’s a special ministry that caters to people like you especially with the Sanwo-Olu administration, they are doing a lot for women talk more of women with disability. I implore you to take advantage of the things that we are doing.
“Mr. President has also gone ahead and done so much. If you look at his agenda for women like yourselves, just be fearless and achieve whatever that is achievable and God will direct you. He will lead you, he will instruct you.”
Colloborating the views of the Apapa Council Boss, the Chief Executive Officer of Lelook Bags, Chief Mrs. Chinwe Ezenwa who doubled as the Mother of the day, warned women with disabilities against entitlement syndrome adding that their condition did not in anyway confer some entitlements to them even as she reminded them that it was no one’s fault that they were who they were.
Her words, “I have a warning for people with disability, your biggest problem, because I live with one, I live with people with disability. I still live with one man that I adopted forty years ago living with disability. His biggest problem along with my own siblings is entitlement syndrome. You think because you are living with disability, you are entitled to the whole world. It’s a lie. It is not the fault of anyone that you are who you are.
“You must accept who you are and stop feeling pity for yourselves. Don’t become a member of pity party. There’s a club called pity party, don’t be a member of that club, that club is very destructive. Believe in yourselves for what you can do. If you cannot see, use your hand to do what you can do. If you cannot hear, use the rest of your body to do what you can do.
“I tell you, in the (Lelook) academy in Abuja, one woman was the best graduating student. She walked in there with only one hand and she told me mummy allow me, I am going to sow this bag, I want to do this work with one hand. And I allowed her. Let me tell you, she was the best graduating student because she challenged her creator, she challenged herself, she focused on the bag and she was the best.
“So, the greatest problem you have is yourself. You think the Apapa local government owes you something? Bomarah must go and bring money and give you? Who told you that? It is the same God that created you that created Bomarah, the only thing that you need are these opportunities that we are telling you and there many. If you don’t know where to get opportunities, call mummy Lelook, I will tell you where your opportunity is. Opportunity, first of all, lies within yourself, then, you start seeking for help.
“But please, let me not bore you, that is the greatest undoing of everybody living with disability. Too much entitlement syndrome. If you do not give people what they want, they will not give you what you want. So, you better now start looking for how to use your disability to get ability.”
Earlier in her welcome address, the President, Bomarah Foundation, Hajia Bola Muse acknowledged the incredible strength and resilience women with disabilities demonstrate everyday saying, “Your determination to succeed despite the obstacles that you face is a testament to your unwavering spirit. We celebrate you, we honour you and we are committed to support you.”
Acknowledging that women with disabilities face unique challenges that could prevent them from fully participating in the society, the systemic barriers, the social stigma and the lack of accessibility that could hinder their progress, she however, said, “We also know that together, we can break down these barriers and create a more inclusive and equitable world.”
On her part, the President of Chanelle Foundation, Dr. Anire Okogun explained that they specially chose to celebrate the International Women’s Day with women living with disability because most times, they were undermined, not being recognize as well as other barriers even as she insisted that they go through a lot and people really did not care.
“And we said, let’s come together and celebrate them because in their space, they are doing so much that people do not see and coming out today, if you look at some of the things that they have outside, those things were done by them”, she said.
Warning against discrimination against women with disabilities, Okogun said, “We must try to eliminate any form of violence against women whether disabled or able. We must recognize and ensure that they are cared for. They should also have effective participation in leadership wherever they are.”
Highlights of the event was the empowerment of the women with grinding machine, POS and free registration of business name for the POS beneficiaries with eh Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, distribution of free wrapper, bags of rice and other side attractions.
Photo 1: Dr. Anire Okogun, President, Chanelle Foundation (2nd left); Chief Mrs. Chinwe Ezenwa, CEO, Lelook Bags (4th left); Hajia Bola Muse, President, Bomarah Foundation (middle) and Amina Mohammed, CEO, Aims Communications during the event in Lagos Thursday.
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