Group asks Nigerians to care for physically challenged people

The group visited the Rehabilitation Centre for the Disabled in Oyo.

A socio-philanthropic group, Summit ’01’ Gents International, has called on Nigerians to pay more attention to the less privileged and physically challenged in the society.

The group made the call in Ibadan on Tuesday while paying a visit to the Rehabilitation Centre for the Disabled, located in Moniya, Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Adesola Olajide, president of the club, who presented some relief items to the centre on behalf of his team, said rather than striving to acquire vanity of life, it is more edifying to commit resources on projects and courses that will impact on the lives of others, particularly the less privileged.

“We should be our brother’s keeper. Whatever we have, we must always remember that there are others who do not have at all, and always be ready to share with them.

“These people are not in the situation because they are more sinful than we are. We are only lucky that our situations are better than theirs. So we need to show appreciation to God for this by giving to the less privileged and the physically challenged,” he said.

The principal of the centre, who received the club members, informed that the school was established by the military government of Ibrahim Babangida in 1990, and was among the six created for each of the geopolitical zones across the country to rehabilitate physically challenged individuals within their respective jurisdictions.

According to him, the centre caters for different categories of physically challenged persons; including the mentally challenged, visually impaired, physically challenged and hearing impaired; and trains them on professional trades that would make them self-dependent after graduation.

Some of the trades, he said, include, shoe making, animal husbandry, fashion designing and Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Mr. Hassan added that the centre has produced many graduates who now do well and are even employers of labour in their chosen fields. He called on public-spirited individuals and corporate organisations to come to the aide of the centre in manners that would add value to the lives of the trainees, adding that the government cannot do it alone.

Also charging the beneficiaries at the centre to see their situation as a challenge that would spur them to aspire to reach their peak in life, Yakub Fadare, immediate past president of the visiting association, said being physically challenged was not planned y anyone.

“It should not be devastating. The best is to take advantage of it and think of what you can do to make impact. Try to be an instrument of social change and be part of it,” he told the students.