Sultan promises to make his Palace wheelchair friendly

BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto

The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar 111 has, in addition to urging governors of Nigeria to emulate Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal by paying monthly stipends to People Living With Disabilities (PLWD), has assured that he will make his palace more accessible to people on wheelchairs.

“I feel there should be a way where wheelchairs can drive into the palace. That is going to be the first thing we must do, making sure that we have also become a wheelchair-friendly palace. If you want to promote something, then, start it yourself. It is important for us to know some of these issues and it’s by coming together with you like this that we will be able to know what the challenges are that you go through.”

The Sultan, who spoke when he received in audience the Executive Secretary, Mr. James David of the National Commission for People Living With Disabilities and his entourage at his palace in Sokoto wondered why they should be tagged people with disabilities when they have unimaginable abilities.

While noting that people often see PLWD as forgotten in the society, Sultan noted, however, that he doesn’t like using the word disabled in describing them, since there is ability in disability.

“They are not disabled. They are only challenged and challenged by Almighty Allah who created us. And all of us are equal. We are the same. Almighty Allah created us the way He did and that is His own choice. For some, it is by accident, and nobody can challenge God. So, we accept it like that.”

The respected traditional cum religious leader recalled that America once had a polio survivor as their President.

“I want to assure you that the journey has just begun. I will work with this National Commission on People Living With Disabilities to see how we can educate everybody, especially the leaders in this country about this Commission and its work.

“And I want to assure the Commission that they have a very, very reliable friend and partner in me being the Sultan.”

The Sultan further admonished Mr. James and his team to write formally to the NAREC to come and talk to them at their Lagos meeting slated for September 2022.

“From there we will take it up so that let Muslims and Christians know that these people that are challenged are part and parcel of us and must be catered for and given due attention.”

Speaking earlier, Mr. James David, the Executive Secretary of National Commission for PLWD said they were in the palace to seek the royal support of the Sultan of Sokoto.

Mr. James, who admitted that people might be looking at them differently because of their conditions, added however that all human beings are the same before Almighty God.

“Disability makes us different in this world but we are all one before God,” he noted.

James was accompanied on the courtesy visit by the Acting Chairman of the NCPLW Governing Council, Mrs. Amina Audu and an Assistant Director in the Commission, Mr. Muhammad Baba.

Others are a friend of the Commission, Mr. Samuel Kwankur, Aisha Abdullahi, Muhammad Galadima, Muazu Habibu and Abdullaziz Ibrahim.

Continuing, Mr. James noted that the 19 years old struggle for a national law on the rights of PLWDs got government’s nod with the signing of the National Commission of PLWD by President Muhammadu Buhari into law on 17th August 2019.

According to him, the law, amongst other important provisions, prohibits all forms of discrimination against their members.

He further divulged that their mission is to, among other things, organize a national summit for religious leaders of all major faiths in Nigeria on inclusion of PLWD in their dealings.

While calling on all and sundry to give PLWDs the opportunity to lead themselves and even the country someday, Mr. James thanked Sokoto state government for paying stipends to PLWD.

“We pray that in no distant time, Nigeria should have a Governor or President or political leader that is a person living with disability,” Mr. James prayed.