By Funmi Ajumobi
On Wednesday, September 9, what seemed to be the usual gathering of Nigerians to advocate for Persons With Disabilities, PWDs, through long speeches, repeated documentaries and, at most three hours of identifying with PWDs, through pity, took a new turn at the   Multi-Purpose Room of the U.S. Consulate General in Victoria Island, Lagos, when, at the end of a 15-minute documentary highlighting the discrimination and social exclusion experienced by persons living with disabilities, Ms. Ejiro Sharon Okotie,   founder of the Hope Inspired Foundation for Women and Youth, did not only challenge policy makers and employers of labour on the need to integrate physically challenged persons into the Nigerian labour market, but also has created job portal to generate data for PWDs who are qualified like youths in Nigeria .

Titled  Changing the Dialogue, the documentary, sponsored by the United States Mission in Nigeria, was produced by Okotie, a young woman living with disability who said inclusiveness has been talked for a very long time but the ‘HOW’ is the focus of gathering people together for the screening of her new documentary detailing life-stories of discrimination and social exclusion experienced by persons living with disabilities in the Nigerian labour market.

Explaining her long history of involvement with PWDs, earlier in her welcome remarks, the US Embassy Public Affairs Officer, Darcy Zotter, stated that removing barriers and creating a world in which physically challenged persons enjoy dignity will bring about their full inclusion in the society.

Speaking at the event on “Harnessing the Potentials of Youth with Disabilities in Nigeria”, Dr Adebayo Adebukola, a political scientist and the executive director, Human and Organisational Resource Development Centre said youths with disabilities are like other youths who are knowledgeable and skilful and therefore should be given equal opportunities adding that they are only asking for their rights and not sympathy.

Distinguished guests who attended the event included the Lagos State Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule who was represented by Permanent Secretary Yetunde Odejayi.