“Discrimination against me started from my family” blind Ebonyi graduate

A 31-year-old Law graduate from Ebonyi State, Chukwu Chikwado, narrates how education has empowered him after losing his sight at the age of 14 and the discrimination he faced from his immediate family.

Chukwu Chikwado disclosed this in an interview with pressmen. Chukwu comes from the Oshiri community, which is located in the Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

I was born into a polygamous family and I am the third child of my late mother. I studied Law at the University of Lagos. Currently, I serve as the co-founder and Executive Director of Disability Rights Protection Initiative, a legal and human rights organisation dedicated to safeguarding the rights of individuals with disabilities in Nigeria, particularly those who have experienced or face the threat of violating their civil and fundamental human rights. Hence, I am prominently recognised as a disability rights advocate in Nigeria.

According to him,  it was rather mysterious how I unexpectedly lost my vision and became blind when I was 14 years old. About 16 years ago, like any other child, I went to bed at night. However, when I woke up the next day, October 1, 2007, I discovered that I had lost my sight. Initially, I believed it to be a dream but soon realised that my blindness was indeed a harsh reality that I had to embrace and live with daily.

I did not receive immediate medical attention after I lost my sight. Instead, we relied on prayers and hoped for miracles. Eventually, in 2008, I started receiving treatment at the Abak General Hospital in Akwa Ibom State. Unfortunately, the doctors struggled to identify the exact cause of my visual impairment. With help from generous Nigerians, I sought treatment in various hospitals both in Nigeria and abroad. It was during that time that an Indian doctor informed me that the chances of regaining my vision were very slim and I might remain blind for the rest of my life. Even my personal eye doctors in Nigeria also told me that only divine intervention and miracles could restore my sight.

I spent many years attending churches and prayer ministries in search of miracles. Despite going to the mountains, ingesting various materials given to me by religious leaders, fasting and praying, my efforts were in vain. However, during one visit to a specific church in Abuja, I pleaded with God and expressed exhaustion from searching and waiting for miracles; I proposed that instead of seeking miracles for myself, I could be used as a source of miracles for others. Following this heartfelt prayer, I decided to detach myself from any form of organised prayers and instead focused on my education and personal development.

I graduated from UNILAG in June 2023 and I am presently preparing to attend the Nigerian Law School in January 2024. Before graduating from UNILAG, I was engaged in advocating for the legal rights and equal opportunities of individuals with disabilities, particularly those who have suffered human rights violations throughout Nigeria.

In a different domain, I am presently the chief executive officer of a company that specialises in access technologies. Our company is involved in importing and distributing a wide range of assistive products for individuals with disabilities.