Mr. Chidi Olujie, National Secretary, Nigerian National Association of the Deaf (NNAD), has called on the three tiers of government to recognise and integrate members of the association into the society.
Olujie, aspiring to be the National President of the association at the election slated for September in Kano, Kano State, spoke through an interpreter in Lagos on Friday.
He also urged the governments and members of the society not to see deaf people as cast away, but should embrace them as members of the society.
According to him, this will enable them to contribute their quotas to the development and growth of the nation’s economy.
“Members of the association, if allowed by the society, can make meaningful impact to the nation’s economy,” he said, saying disability should not be seen as inability.
Reeling out his manifestoes for the position of National President, Olujie said he would create a bridge for an inclusive society where deaf people would be fully integrated.
He said: “Our role is to make the deaf fully integrated with equal opportunities and full participation a reality.
“This is to promote equal rights of the deaf and enhancing lifetime opportunities that will bring about equity.”
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Olujie said that there was negative mindset from the community and the wrong believe that deaf people could not do things by themselves.
He said: “Deaf are special people with special sign language. It is only their ears that have disability, that is a hidden disability.
“If a deaf person did not talk, you cannot know that he is deaf.
“We want the government to give full recognition to sign language, because it is our own linguistic right.”
Olujie said that there were interpreters for deaf people, who could attend to their responsibilities and link them with the hearing community.
The secretary then promised that, if elected as the association president, he would host the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) in Nigeria.
“When we bring the world down to Nigeria, all eyes will see and everybody will know the value of deaf people.
“They will also know that the deaf can offer something meaningful to the society,” he said.
Olujie, however, prayed for peace, saying, “when there is peace, there will be development”. (NAN)
