Disability Access in Nigeria: An Inaccessible Environment

My name is Smart JP Akpah and I would like to share my insight and experiences of disability access in Nigeria. 

Disability does not equate to inability, but inaccessibility does equate to inability and disability. If there is accessibility, everyone can function and go about their day-to-day life. Disabilities, therefore, would not become a stigma or sign of weakness, but only a symbol of individualism.

Accepting that we are challenged and disabled is the first big win, we are disabled, yes we are! But lack of accessibility disables our functionality, activeness, and zealous attitudes to make impacts.

While we can do better, inaccessibility makes you think we are worse at it.

Lack of Accessibility brings about many physical barriers. Architectural barriers are one of the physical barriers that discriminate against and disqualify people living with disabilities from being functional in most areas of life. My case for study: I am a zealous and enthusiastic public speaker, I anchor events and serve as master of ceremonies on many special occasions, but I don’t get the chance when it comes to bigger events because the platform and event centers for larger audiences are not made accessible.

I am being disabled by the environment to perform at such events, not my physical disability. This is described as looking at disability through the viewpoint of the ‘social model of disability’. 

Disability access in Nigeria, or the lack thereof, has made many persons living with disabilities more vulnerable, jobless, and inactive, because they truly know what they can offer, but society keeps saying “No, you can’t do these things”. All these are products of physical barriers.

Imagine a wheelchair user who is enthusiastic about serving God but is not able to get to the pulpit because it is inaccessible. My personal findings show that no church is physically accessible in Nigeria. This means, there is no prior consideration of people living with disabilities as being a part of the church. If God is truly for all then the representative of God on earth is biased against people living with disabilities.

As an event planner; my nightmare usually comes from inaccessible event centers. In these places, I have to be carried like a load to the stage. This embarrassment can be solved by technical constructions of accessibility for everyone to have ACCESS to.

In Nigeria, we also have many communication barriers. Deaf people, those with hearing impairments, and those who are mute; in Nigeria, are some of the most affected persons in our society. Starting from the family environment, as a sign language interpreter, I discovered most people who are deaf or are without speech are being marginalized when it comes to serious issues in the family, due to lack of communication. Sign language should be a general subject in schools to encourage inclusiveness among people. Even from a business perspective, communication barrier affects the exchange of goods and services as buyers lack the patience to write things down instead of communicating using more common methods.

There is also the concept of social and attitudinal barriers. The way a society sees a set of people determines the prestige of the group. The social barriers are social constructs in African societies where different forms of disabilities are evaluated as spiritual attacks. Hence, the victim is automatically a witch or agent of witchcraft in society.

The attitudinal decay forming ableist barriers makes them see disabled people as incompetent, unqualified, and inexperienced persons. This is far from the reality of a person living with disabilities.

There are other barriers resulting from the lack of disability access in Africa, especially in Nigeria.

In the area of employment, the set percentage for people with disabilities have not been met by organizations, institutions, companies, and business in Nigeria mainly because:

– Physical barriers: stairs, narrow doorways, inadequate restroom facilities, another others.
– Social and attitudinal barriers: People living with disabilities have been stigmatized by society to be incomplete and; therefore, incompetent. The attitude towards employing people with disabilities is that of risk.

In conclusion, disability access in Nigeria and the difficulties associated, point to various forms of barriers that people with disabilities face daily in Nigeria due to the absence of accessibility. If you make it ACCESSible, you have given us the ACCESS to work, explore, and grow beyond disabilities.

– Smart JP Akpah

To contact Smart JP, you can reach him via his email address: smartjay7574@gmail.com.

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