….as the Engraced Ones organises 4th Inclusive African Children Runway

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – STAKEHOLDERS, weekend, called for recognition and inclusion of physically challenged children in every area of their lives as their other children.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 4th edition of the Inclusive African Children Runway organised by the Engraced Ones in collaboration with other partners, the Convener and Executive Director of The Engraced Ones Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative, Biboara Yinkere, maintained that “Inclusion is the watchword.”

Yinkere, further stated that “inclusion is real, and that there is ability where people presume there is no ability, and also, we want people to be able to support.”

She also made it clear that, “There are a lot of misconceptions” while she was speaking on the essence of organizing the runway for children with disability, which is basically to disabuse the minds of some people about children with disability, ” The runway had over 100 children, and about half of them are children without disability. So mixing them up with our children, we are showing practical play and it’s also an opportunity for us to promote inclusion.

“People think that if you bring the children together, they will not want to play, they will not want to do things, they are not trainable but we have seen that it is possible.”

She also add that, “We have been talking about inclusion, preaching it. We want to demonstrate it, they are tired of saying our children could do this and that, and it sounds imaginary.”

The Chairman of the event, Air Vice-Marshal, Lanre Oluwatoyin (Rated), said Nigerians should accept children with disability based on their importance as humans and the talents God had endowed in them

“I have been part of this for quite a number of years, and I know how important it is to make these children feel as part of the nation, as part of humans. It is so important and we must give them that recognition.

“This is one of them, and I am sure more people will instead of keeping the children or hiding them, they will bring them out and they will be part of this. And it will give more recognition that physical or any mental disability should not be a limitation to how a child grows”, Oluwatoyin said.

Also, the National President, Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association, NAFOWA, Mrs Ngozi Aneke, represented by the National Provost, Loveth Ebiowei, said, “I think inclusion is very important when it comes to the issue of disability. I think it is a policy that governments really needs to look into by encouraging parents.

“All the stakeholders from various places, they should be encouraged and supported to include all children because they are all precious in the eyes of God. None should be written off.”