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Uju and her friend, Dupe with a classmate
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Uju on her former wheel chair
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Uju (sitting far right) with classmates rejoicing with her
| IMAGINE being born normal; having the privilege of running around with other kids from the block while watching the sun set at evening; you dance at your friends birthday celebrations, played hide and seek in the flowers at the backyard amongst laughter and great fun.
And then one day, you wake up to start having a feeling of numbness somewhere; you discover you are unable to move some parts of your body and gradually, you develop a problem that makes you lose the ability to use one part of your body that you seem to use best as a kid.
The experience is better imagined that experienced but for Uju Amangbo, a Nigerian student studying in the
United Kingdom
, her experience is a story she is willing to tell with smiles on her face.
“I am the third child in a family of six, five girls and a boy. Amongst all my siblings I am the only one who does not have a one-year birthday picture. Why? I was running about so much that the cameraman could not capture me,” she said with a smile, “I developed the problem when I was about four years old and it started with gradual loss of ability to walk. I once used a calipers and crotches before I started using a wheelchair.”
Now aged 30, Uju have strived on in life despite the challenges facing the physically challenged in
Nigeria
. It was easy for her to pass through her education with other normal kids throughout her primary, post-primary and tertiary education in the country but today, she has not only bagged her Bachelor's degree and is on course to obtaining a Masters Degree at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, she has authored a novel, Tears On Her Pillow, which shows the great talent and determination in her notwithstanding her condition.
Speaking on that feat which she attributes the inspiration to her parent's encouragement, Uju said it was an amazing task that she took up and watched it expand beyond her wildest dreams.
“It was a challenge worth taking and I am happy doing that. I still remember my dad telling me many years ago that “Your pen is mightier than swords” when I was finding it difficult to write an essay in my secondary school. And I also remember my mum always telling us “You can do all things”. Those two comments I must say helped me in realising my dream of putting my ideas down on paper for people to learn from. It wasn't a big deal when I started writing it. Initially I was just writing to keep myself busy and before I knew it the pages increased.”
But the amazement she got recently from her fellow students, which included her British classmates, surpasses all she had ever experienced in her life; they came together without her knowledge to organize a fundraising and got her a new motorized wheelchair which has so much helped her to be more independent to do things easier than before when she was using the manual one.
When asked how she felt when the news was broken to her, an elated Uju replied, “My joy knows no bounds. The idea was actually spearheaded by my course mate Bennett Anyasodo, he planned it with my other friend Dupe Odulana without involving me. Then they communicated with the rest of my course mates who all bought the idea. Bennett I guess has been involved in charity fund raising so he told his church members who agreed to host it without even knowing or seeing me. I am simply short of words. Most interestingly they are people from different parts of the world and I am much excited for such love shown to me in a new environment.”
Uju who had listed acquiring a motorized chair for herself as one of the missions she must accomplish while coming to the
UK
last year revealed that she was still struggling with paying her school fees and never gave the idea a thought. But the present, which came as a surprise, has helped her awesomely in her studies and daily activities.
“It came at the right time. I am now able to attend my lectures, group meetings and participate more. Before it came, all my lectures and lab sessions were structured such that my friend was always in the same group with me. But now everybody has more freedom to do different things, and that is fun. Most importantly my cousin, Olivia, who has sacrificed a lot to assist me while here will have much relief,” she revealed.
While comparing the challenges she had encountered while abroad vis-à-vis that she experienced in
Nigeria
, the
University
of
Nigeria Nsukka
. Graduate was of the opinion that the Government in
Nigeria
are not being sincere when it comes to the welfare of the physically challenged; she cited an experience she had as an undergraduate which greatly affected her confidence in government's many promises to the challenged people.
“There was a time some students were selected for scholarships in my school based on academic merit and disability. I fell within the merit level even before I knew that the scholarship was automatic for disabled students. When we got to the interview venue I was told it was automatic for me and I did not need to go through the screening exercise, but I was allowed to go through it. Do you know that till tomorrow, that scholarship entitlement never came to any disabled person I know of? That is bad. Such a thing can never happen here (in U.K) your entitlement is your entitlement and nobody can tamper with that even as a foreigner.”
Another ugly development that raises concern within the society is some unwritten directives given by some of the banking institutions in the country that physically challenged people should transact their businesses with the bank outside the premises of the banking hall, was totally condemned by Uju as that falls within the course she is doing for her programme.
“That is an interesting question actually because it happens to be part of the course I am studying here. It is called usability and human factors/issues. It is not only the banks I will accuse lack of consideration with regards to physically challenged people. It cuts across every section of our country and I wish to change that. Issues in human factors are the way forward in
UK
and probably
Europe
. I have never experienced such a thing or heard of it here. I guess anyone who tries it here will loose his/her job and the bank will be charged to court for discrimination. Here any public service must be made to incorporate usability issues so that all kinds of people are included in the design of the product or service. I will really love to introduce that in
Nigeria
, not just in the bank.
Within a few months, I have learnt so much about usability issues that I can give a lecture on it. Banking here is so easy for me, and besides the ATM is not for the physically challenged here. Every Tom, Dick and Harry uses it. Back in
Nigeria
I never used to go to bank due to the crowded environment and how inconveniencing it can be. The ATM is supposed to make banking more convenient for everybody. Maybe we have not explored what can be done with the machine.
Over here in
UK
it is not only used within the bank premises but used in shopping centres and public places. If such a concept is introduced in
Nigeria
, we will reduce the banking inconvenience for everybody,” she said.
While urging the government to stand up to its responsibility of taking care of the physically challenged in the society, Uju was optimistic that a change can still be effected only if both individuals and government show a reasonable measure of responsibility.
“Our government needs to wake up to their responsibility. If they make the right policies, we will have less of disabled beggars on the streets. But I am not in support of the fact that they are begging, not at all. I do not know what circumstances led them into doing what they are doing, but personally begging is definitely not an alternative. Maybe they need a re-orientation so they could be more useful at least to themselves. That is an area everybody needs to look into. I still believe it can be corrected,” she quipped.
Uju Amamgbo is a Villager..
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Posted by Robot| 06.04.2008 10:49