Thousands of blind Nigerians still lack access to rehabilitation, education, assistive technology and jobs, the Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind says, as it pushes for policies that make independence a reality.
The society, known as FNSB, made the case at its 71st anniversary celebration and Independence Ball at the MUSON Centre in Onikan, Lagos. Its Executive Council Chairman, Arit Tunde-Imoyo, said much remains to be done.
What FNSB says blind Nigerians lack
She urged individuals, organizations and public institutions to help the society reach more people. FNSB wants every blind person to have a chance to “live with dignity, purpose and independence,” she said.
Executive Secretary Oluwamayowa Oke said independence should go beyond vocational training to include practical chances to find work, earn an income and take part fully in society.
The society wants existing disability policies enforced, including a rule that organizations reserve 5% of their workforce for people with disabilities. “We would like policies to be put in place and implemented,” Tunde-Imoyo said.
How the society trains blind people
FNSB was founded in 1955 and set up a Vocational Training Centre for the Blind in Oshodi a year later, where people who have gone blind are rehabilitated and retrained.
Tunde-Imoyo said the society has retrained more than 3,500 people, including lawyers, engineers and scholars with advanced degrees. Courses cover computer literacy, Braille reading and mobility skills, and trainees receive free tuition, accommodation, feeding and materials.
Rising costs are straining that work. The society says the cost of delivering effective rehabilitation keeps climbing, which is why it held the Independence Ball as a fundraiser.
The Independence Ball featured blind musicians, a DJ, a compere and models on the runway, all wearing the society’s insignia.
George Okongwu, who lost his sight to glaucoma, said the society’s training changed his outlook and invited other blind people to seek rehabilitation.
Another trainee said her guide cane and a relearned phone routine showed how adaptive skills lead to empowerment.
A national picture of gaps
Reliable figures on blindness in Nigeria are scarce. Estimates of all disabilities vary widely, from under 3 million people to more than 25 million, and the 2011 World Report on Disability estimated that about 25 million Nigerians had at least one disability.
Globally, at least 2.2 billion people have a vision impairment, according to the World Health Organization.
Nigeria’s disability rights law, signed in January 2019, bars discrimination and set a five year deadline to make public buildings accessible. FNSB says the promise of that law and related policies still depends on implementation.
Retraining lawyers and engineers is only half the task, the society suggests. The other half is employers who are willing to hire them.
The society’s asks are simple: enforce the quota, fund rehabilitation and widen access to assistive technology.
Blind Nigerians want more than charity. They want tools, training and a fair shot at real paid work. Until policies are implemented, funding grows and employers act, the society says, thousands will keep on waiting for the chance to live independently.
