The Wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has pledged her support to the Deaf-Blind community in Lagos State.
Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu made the pledge during a virtual meeting with the Lionheart Ability Leaders International Foundation (LALIF), an organization that promotes the rights and wellbeing of persons with Deaf-Blindness in Nigeria.
Mr. Solomon Okelola, the Executive Director of LALIF, while speaking with the first lady highlighted the organization’s efforts to locate individuals with Deaf-blindness who were isolated in their homes due to their disabilities.
Okelola said, “so far, we have recorded 37 such individuals in Lagos state.”
Mr Okelola further added that out of the identified Deaf-blind individuals, only three are employed, and they faced communication challenges in their workplaces.
“The majority of the Deaf-blind community have never received an education or basic life skills, making them heavily dependent on others for their daily needs,” he said.
Mr Okelola highlighted the research conducted by LALIF to assess the level of awareness among teachers in special and mainstream schools about Deaf-blindness. The findings were distressing, as they show a lack of knowledge on how to cater to learners with Deaf-blindness in classrooms.
Mr. Okelola further emphasized the urgent need to train medical practitioners to recognize and manage Usher Syndrome, the major cause of Deaf-blindness worldwide.
“Such training could help reduce the incidence of Deaf-blindness in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole.”
Moved by LALIF’s dedication and the challenges faced by the Deaf-blind community, the First Lady assured the Group of her full support and partnership in achieving the organization’s goals.
Furthermore, the First Lady promised to engage relevant ministries to implement training programs for teachers and medical practitioners, aiming to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to support persons with Deaf-blindness effectively.