Barrister Ayodele Adekanmbi is the first Special Adviser and Executive Assistant to a state governor in the whole of Nigeria. In spite of his disability, he has been able to make giant strides in the society at large. He graduated with a First Class degree in Law from the University of Edinburgh. He also owns an NGO and a law firm.
Adekanmbi, the present Executive Assistant to the Oyo State’ Governor Seyi Makinde, on People Living with Disabilities. In this interview with OLAYINKA AGBOOLA and TOYESE OYEBODE on Parrot Xtra Hour on Radio aired on King 103. FM Radio in Ibadan recently, he discusses how life has treated him as a disabled person, how he overcame, how he got the inspiration of helping disabled persons among other issues. Excerpts by OLAITAN IGE.
Barrister Ayodele Adekanmbi, can you tell us about your background?
Thank you very much. Quite a number of people know me very well. My name is Ayodele Adekanmbi. I was born blind to the family of Adekanmbi close to 50years ago. My dad was a labourer in the Nigerian Railway Corporation, while my mother was and is still a petty trader, and she’s 83years old now. My father died in 1988. I was born blind and grew up like that until one day my late grandmother, who happened to be a Baptist Church member, went to church where a blind man came to give his testimonies and talk to the church. If it were to be in this era, he would be called a motivational speaker, which I am as well, a lot of people don’t know this. My grandmother saw him reading a Braille Bible. My grandmother, Madam Eweoba Victoria Adekanmbi, was moved seeing him do this. She made me today, if not for her move, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Like I used to say, naturally and culturally, a blind person in Africa will be on the streets begging but to God be the glory that I’m where I am today. My grandmother approached the man that brought the visually impaired person and they spoke about me. Then, I was six years old and my late teacher, Baba Oladapo, asked my grandmother to bring me and that same day, the man took me away to train me. My parents, who didn’t know what to do with me because I was like a disgrace to them,were glad when the man said he wanted to take me away. I was taken from Omi-Adio in Ibadan to Eruwa. Most of the things I know now were taught by my special teacher, Baba Oladapo. The special teacher looked for people living with disabilities and trained them, because we were not many then. Immediately they discovered you were small and brilliant, they took you with them. That was what a special teacher did. So, the Baba took me with him, I lived with him. I started my career at the School for the Deaf in Eruwa. I was taught how to read Braille and I asked my special teacher some sensitive questions ranging from if I would be accepted in the society if I learned Braille, to if I would be able to control my sisters who constantly bullied me and my teacher assured me that I would be great if I learned it. I learnt how to read Braille in three months, of which I was supposed to finish learning in a year. That was how my teacher suggested that I go to a blind school. So, I was moved to Ogbomosho Blind Centre, a school for the blind. Everyone there was blind, including the teachers. From there, I moved to Federal Government College, Ijanikin Lagos. It was a very difficult time for me dealing with my siblings because I was tagged a disgrace. Whenever we went out, they didn’t like holding me or talking to me. I was very discriminated against but, to God be the glory. I travelled out of the country to the University of Edinburgh through scholarship. I studied International Law and Diplomacy and bagged a First Class Honors. I’ve worked with so many organizations abroad because I’m passionate about doing developmental work. A lot of people do not know why but I’ll tell you today.
When I was in the university, I completely ran out of cash. That winter night, it was so cold and with nothing to keep me warm, I had to wrap myself with the carpet in my room so I could be warm. I slept and I had a dream and saw some guys in my dream and I promised them that once I can be free from the present challenges I was facing, I would never allow those living with disabilities to be in the same terrible situation, even in Nigeria. I saw them as big people who can help so I asked them to help me achieve this. They assured me that I would be great without issues; I should just make sure I keep to my promise. That was when I woke up. The first person I saw the next morning was my white neighbour, I explained what I saw to him and he gave me three pounds, that was a lot of money in those days.
After schooling, I came back home to start working. I worked with Mobil Exxon as a serving corps member in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. I was very rich then, I even bought two Mercedes cars. I had my own P.A. and forgot my promise. I was absolved into the system after six months. I didn’t complete my service year before I became a full staff of the company. One day, I slept again and saw the same guy I saw in Edinburgh. He told me that I’ve forgotten my promise and vision to help those living with different disabilities when I become great. He said I wasn’t great yet but becoming great and I had forgotten my promise already. I woke up immediately. That was why I resigned against all discouragement. Some people even thought I was crazy because my salary was fat then, fatter than now. I left and came back to Ibadan and started a TV show. I started having ideas about the TV programme and at a point, I brought ExxonMobil to sponsor the programme. A lot of my friends also praised me. That was when Late Stella Obasanjo called me to do the technical work on the issue of disability. The awareness was much because it was the first time such was happening. Myself and the late first lady of Nigeria, Stella Obasanjo, visited 52 countries to raise funds and everything started turning around.
I was following my vision until I decided to enter into government because doing all these things without government backing wouldn’t be very easy. We started the struggle and I was invited as a Special Assistant to the former Governor Alao Akala. From there, I became an Executive Assistant. I registered my NGO,because a lot of people have been asking about where I’ve been for eight years, well, I’ve been working on my NGO. I run an NGO, Disability Empowerment Solution Initiative, where we solve a lot of problems that people don’t think about like productive issues among people with disabilities. I was doing that with a lot of sponsors for eight years and now, to God be the glory, Seyi Makinde brought me back. The vision brought me to where I am today and I have passion for that vision.
You’ve worked for two governments now. What can you say about the approach of former governor, Chief Alao Akala and the present Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde?
Well, both of them have brilliant approaches but what I’m doing now is more official than that of Alao Akala’s government. Alao Akala is my in-law, father, friend and my everything, Seyi Makinde as well is my very good boss and friend. He has a strong feeling for people living with disabilities and because he has stayed abroad, he knows our rights and that makes it so easy for me to work. As an Executive Assistant, you do not advice, you implement, that’s the difference. Now, I do more of implementing than proposing because as a special adviser, you propose. When you look critically well, we now have our quota in everything and that is how it should be. According to the United Nations Convention on Disability Rights, 10 per cent of everything, including appointments, should go to people living with disabilities and that is what we’re practising. Look at the TESCOM recruitment, we have a share in the recruitment because it’s our right, its not that we’re soliciting for the space again. That is why a lot of people living with disabilities have been coming to my office to collect and submit their forms.
Can you explain your project on Disability Commission?
Yes, we’re on it. The commission will be kicking off in three months. If you check the governor’s inaugural speech, you’ll see that he mentioned it there and we’re very serious about it. We’re serious about removing those you see on the streets disgracing us by begging. We want to make them productive, to move them out of the streets. That is for those who want to move out. For those who are not willing, we will give them a dedicated area where they will be and give them all necessary facilities. People who want to give alms or any other thing can go there to give.It’s going to be a good time by the grace of God.
What would you do if they’re not willing to cooperate?
They will cooperate. We’re not going to force anybody. The first step we’re going to take is the construction and mapping of the dedicated area. We’ll put running water system, vocational centre, we’ll put sick bay, and so on. We’ll have one in Mokola, Sango area, another one will be in Ojoo for those who want to give and take alms, and also there’ll be another stand aroundToll Gate. The second step is serious awareness where the Ministry of Information will go out informing people about what we want to do and also encourage people to move off the streets. The third step, which is the last one, is enforcement. For those who want to work, we’ll fix them up and they will start working.
Can you clear out the rumour about you helping Ayefele when his Music House was partly demolished?
No, that’s false. He’s actually my very good friend but there’s nothing like me helping him to raise funds. He’s a big man and a good friend. Yes, we help ourselves and when I heard about the issue, I cried out to the United Nations and a few others to come to our aid. It’s very difficult to live with disability, I want you to take that, we’re just trying to make life easy for ourselves; we don’t want to think about it too much so that we can move on. For someone to go and demolish that place, something the guy struggled to build, it’ll be very difficult for God to take that act off an individual’s neck. You know how difficult it is to put blocks unto each other. Sometimes when I remember, it gives me a big trauma. No matter how well or big they rebuilt it, Ayefele will always remember he went through that, he will never forget that incident. Never. It’s not easy to live with disability, talk less of working and making it, not to talk of employing people. We have to fight out our way all the time.
You’re almost a politician, are you hoping to contest one day?
Not for now because our position in the country is still tensed when it comes to political campaign.
How do you survive when you attend political campaigns?
(Laughs). You know me now. I plan the way I walk. I go before they start and leave before the end of the campaign. So, I’m not planning to contest, though a lot of people have called me. My former boss called me and told me to go for Reps and that he will spend all his money but the time is not now.
As a lawyer, have you ever been to the court for any case?
Yes, but that was when I was having my court experience. Now, why I’m not so fully into it is because of my NGO but I have a chamber and have guys that work for me and I give cases to them. I do a lot of brainstorming with my colleagues.
Can you discuss your major challenge as a person with disability?
The environment. Yes, it’s a major barrier and hurdle around us. The way people take us, the way they think. People don’t even put themselves in our shoes, even our family members. People just jump into conclusions and judge us. The environment is not conducive because we struggle to get everything. They think we’re stubborn but we have to be because we struggle a lot. They should no longer look down on us. Thank God, there are now laws backing us like the Nigerian Disability Law, the Oyo State Disability Law will soon be in place, the Lagos State Disability Law is in place. If there are no laws, then sin wouldn’t be recorded. We now have a better environment.
What words of advice do you have for people living with disabilities?
On a personal level, they should be able to stand their ground at all times. They should always agree on situations, speak with unity. They should know that our Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde of Oyo State loves us and wants the best for us.
