Lanre Olagunju is a media and communication expert with years of experience in communications for development, governance, and advocacy. Over the years, he has made tangible contributions to different worthy causes which include the African Union’s Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa CARMMA. Presently he is the Head of Communications for Project Enable Africa, a community development initiative known for advocating for the rights and empowerment of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.

Below is a summary of the show Advocating For Human Rights with Lanre Olagunju

Lanre is the head of communications at Project Enable Africa which focuses on enabling people with disabilities within Nigeria. He says having a disability means you’re incapable of performing a certain function in any shape or form, could be physically or mentally. A major goal of the company is to create disability inclusion for local people everywhere because they believe no one should be left behind. There’s this stereotype in the country that people who are disabled are beggars which are not true, you do not have to be physically challenged to beg, in Nigeria we’ve just gotten used to that narrative because it is what we see every day. Since there are no rules or laws that protect these people, Lanre says it’s necessary to apologize to the community because at many points in the life of a normal human disability set in. We need laws that punish discrimination and provide facilities all over the country that caters to their needs.

He highlights that PWD{People With Disabilities} are actually functional and well-educated members of the community. Usually, because a part of them is impaired, their senses are heightened and they can operate on a higher level than regular people. Efforts should also be made to provide education and good living conditions for these people.

He says the only ways things can change is when we begin to inculcate these values in children from a very young age, teach them to respect and offer help to these people, teach them to be more considerate and to have compassion.

Lanre went ahead to reveal some of the achievements of his project and how people that need their service can find any of the five disability clusters they have available. The government should make is so that regular people can have access to learning sign language so they can easily communicate with the disabled. He says having empathy is really just the best way to behave when addressing PWD, they do not want to be pitied, just be very respectful and open to conversations. Sometimes the caregivers can step up as translators for the conversations. He also spoke about ways that these people have begun to make a living for themselves and integrate themselves into society.

Concluding, Lanre advises that PWD and their family members caring for them should remain strong and also not give up on themselves.