How I conquered my disability

Some of her beneficiaries

When she sustained the injury that led to her permanent disability twenty years ago, she was told that she would not only be dependent on the society, she would also be a liability to her family and the entire society. But Mrs. Grace Folake Idowu, Executive Director of the Independent Living for People with Disability, has proved those skeptics wrong.

Today, she has not only become a reference point, she has brought succour to thousands of many Nigerians living with one form of disability or the other.
“I am a shining example of a person with disability who has turned it around for the betterment of thousands of physically challenged people in the country,” she said.

Mrs. Idowu spoke with Daily Sun recently at the distribution ceremony of the Second Phase of the Disability Support Project in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
“I thank God. It takes determination to reject a situation that looks very impossible, but with God all things are possible. And with determination, one can reach any height unmindful of the limitations of one’s disability.

“I have really adjusted physically and psychologically to the case of the spinal cord injury which I had when I was in my early 30s. I have been able to adjust myself to life and apply myself, bring out whatever is left in me to bring great succour to people who are like myself.
“Forget my physical disability; I am happily married with children and grand children. I have a happy family who have accepted my condition as theirs. My husband has also accepted me as I am, providing necessary care and affection necessary for a wife like me.”

How did she establish her NGO? “I started it with the sole aim of assisting the physically challenged people in the country, bringing together people with disabilities.  My desire to give more to the constituency that I belong to and also make society understand us more necessitated the establishment of the NGO. I thank God that He has used the group to achieve a lot for people with disabilities in the country.
“Out of my determination to realize this goal, I went and obtained a Masters in Social Works with specialization in health welfare. Before my injury, I had a HND in Accounting. This programme exposed me to better insight on social development issues. I thank God that a company like the MTN shared in my vision.”

She lamented the lack of a data bank on people with disabilities in the country and urged the Federal Government to see it as a challenge.
According to her, different organizations, including the Macarthur Foundation and several others had assisted in developing her skills as well as provided funds for leadership development.

“I am happy to tell you that through this, we have been able to develop a strong data bank of 12,000 people with various disabilities, with data on their skills, attitudes, level of education and several others.” She appealed to physically challenged people to reject whatever limitation their disability has put on them and bring out the best of their abilities to serve themselves and the society.

The Director, MTN Foundation, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck who was represented by Mrs. Funmi Omogbenigun, Manager, Corporate Communications of the MTN, said under the first phase of the project ion 2009, the Foundation distributed mobility aids and appliances to beneficiaries in 11 states, including the Federal Capital Territory.

“The second phase of this project which has brought us here today will benefit a total of 12 states, including of course, Ogun.  For this second phase, we have followed the same transparent process that we adopted for the first phase to select beneficiaries.
Explaining the process of selection, she said: “We published an advertorial in the national newspapers, requesting for expressions of interest from special homes and associations that cater for people living with disabilities in the 12 states.”

She said about 8000 applications were received following the adverts, out of which 5000 were finally selected.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with Daily Sun commended the company for remembering them. Mr. Odemuyiwa Saubana, a cripple said: “This is a dream come true. Although I needed the wheel chair for mobility, it has been difficult for me to purchase.”
Usman Ibrahim, who went home with a tricycle, prayed so much that he ended up shedding tears. “May God continue to be with MTN. May the company continue to progress on daily basis for this wonderful donation to us, the unfortunate members of the society,” he prayed.
  Source:Sun