Governor Ambode, who spoke at an event held at the Lagos House, Ikeja, tagged ‘Ability in Disability’, said he had specially requested to mark his first year anniversary with persons living with disabilities to showcase their talents just as he enjoined Nigerians to encourage and show love rather than pity them.
Governor Ambode, who called out four persons living with disabilities to join him on stage which included Dr Waheed Oki, a medical doctor who runs one of the largest clinics in Badagry; Shade Sulaiman, a programmer with Lagos Television; Akin Akinloye, leader of Sugar Band and a successful lawyer, Leila Atake.
He said: “These are people who are successful in their own right. Dr Oki for instance is from Lagos Island and I have known him now for over 42 years. We were in the same class in form one.
So I have lived all my life growing up with people with disabilities and that is why I doing this for them. I just want to honor all of you for your chosen careers and for living it up and allowing your abilities to actually triumph over your disabilities.
“I am committed to doing this and I know that with the position that I have, I am your partner and all the ones that are out there also, Lagos State will partner with all of you and you will all live your lives to the fullest.”
He said the erroneous impression most people have about persons living with disabilities often result in discrimination and exclusion on a daily basis, saying it was high time Nigerians began to embrace them as part of the society.
“They are faced with barriers to education and training which limit their job opportunities, leading in turn to poverty, social exclusion and restricted access the basic human rights which we all take for granted. This is unacceptable. People living with disabilities have a right to live a decent life and enjoy the benefits of good governance and as much as anyone else.
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