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The Sun News Online | Living
Apart from not being able to hear music and other sweet melodies, this deaf and dumb man says he misses absolutely nothing about life as he is capable of doing anything -and even doing it better than most who do not have his kind of handicap, if given the opportunity.
A graduate of Guidance and Counseling from the University of Ilorin, Mohammed Quadri Adelani who is also the secretary of the Nigerian Association of the Deaf, tells SATURDAY SUN that apart from hearing, which is the main problem of a deaf person, there is really no big deal about being a deaf.
A native of Ilobu, in Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun state, Adelani, popularly known as “Omo Iya Aladiye”, who also holds a Masters degree in Guidance and Counseling from the same university, told of how he lost his sense of hearing at the tender age of eleven when he was just a primary five pupil at the St. Theresa RCM Primary School, Ilobu, after a brief illness.
The only graduate in his family, Adelani, says but for the support and encouragement he got from his immediate family, who gave him hope that being deaf was not the end of life, he would have probably ended up in the streets as a destitute. He told of some nasty experiences he had during his secondary school days, when some nasty students often mocked him by putting leaf in their mouth and dance round him.
And on how he feels when he sees people talk and the fact that he cannot contribute to the discussion, Adelani, says he usually feels bad, especially in a situation where there is no interpreter.
“Communication is an important element in human life. As you know, every human being is a social animal, so naturally, I would feel somehow in such situation - especially where there was no interpreter or when none of the parties is able to communicate in sign language. I think our Government should popularize the sign language as a mode of communication in Nigeria”.
A staff of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Adelani went from St. Paul’s Grammar School, also in Ilobu, to the Federal College of Education (special) Oyo and graduated in 1995. He then proceeded to the University of Ilorin to study Educational Guidance and Counseling and graduated with B.Ed Honours (second class upper division) 2000. He did not just stop there, he added another feather to his cap by obtaining an M.Ed. While in College, he won the Provost award for the 3rd best student in the NCE 1 examination and went on to win the prestigious Vice-chancellor’s award for academic excellence as the 2nd best student in the B.Ed final degree examination.
Adelani’s interest in politics actually started about fifteen years ago, when he was first elected chairman of the Osun State Association for the Deaf, and later president of the Nigerian Universities Deaf Students Association, University of Ilorin branch. He said he never thought of playing deaf politics at the national level until some of his lecturers approached him sometime in 2003 during the association’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos and lured him into changing his mind and even went to the extent of convincing the deaf electorate to vote for him for the position of the secretary general of the association because of his outstanding qualities. Since then, he says, there is no going back.
And as a student, Adelani says “the experience was very wonderful especially, at both the NCE and University level where everybody (Lecturers and fellow students) want to communicate with the deaf in sign language. The Federal College of Education (special) Oyo and the University of Ilorin both provide sign language interpreters for the deaf, which further made our studies worthwhile. There was no discrimination of any form from fellow students at tertiary level. We attended lectures, played, read and cracked jokes together.
It was fun living on campus. The few instances of discrimination from fellow students were at the secondary school level. Being the only Deaf student in the secondary school, some nasty students often mocked me by putting leaf in their mouth, which I don’t understand up till today. I was able to cope by just ignoring them since I didn’t know what message they were passing to me was. In a nutshell, what the brain doesn’t comprehend, the heart doesn’t grieve about, simple”.
Adelani describes growing up as very funny, having come from a family that was both supportive and understanding even though there were ups and downs here and there. But, above all, he says: “for someone from a lower class like me. My father was a farmer while my mother sells local poultry. That is why some of my friends and acquaintances call me Omo Iya Aladiye (the child of fowl seller) to which I used to respond with enthusiasm. All the same, we give God all the glory.
As National Secretary-General of the association, Adelani, is in charge of the day to day administrative activities of the association which include sending and receiving correspondence for the association, recording of minutes and all of that. But he says it has not been that easy running the secretariat, especially where there is no physical head office and inadequate funds. But with the help and support of his fellow executives and his zeal to move the association forward, he has been able to manage the situation.
With an estimated 12 million members from across the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, the Nigerian National Association of the Deaf (NNAD), was formed in 1972 as the umbrella body and an amalgam of all the Deaf Associations in Nigeria. It is dedicated entirely to advocacy and provision of support to organisations and entities that have direct bearing on the life of Nigerian deaf people. The NNAD is also aimed at advancing and promoting the rights of Nigerian deaf people as well as holistic development of the deaf to function in all spheres of life. The Association is dully recognized by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development while at International level, NNAD is a registered member of the World Federation of the Deaf Helsinki-Finland.
Adelani, gave some of the challenges facing the deaf in the country to include lack of proper education and gainful employment, poor living standard, low self esteem. “There is also the problem of awareness about deafness and deaf culture as a distinct entity. The attitude of the society towards the deaf further compounded the problems. I must state here that deafness unlike blindness is a hidden handicap. All these put together, has imparted negatively in the life of the deaf in Nigeria”.
He gave some of the major causes of deafness to hereditary, accident and exposure to sound. Above all, he said one of the major causes of deafness is sickness, especially at a tender age and how the association has been tackling the problem of discrimination amongst its members from the general public.
According to him, “In a country like Nigeria where there is no legal right for the deaf and the disabled in general, there is the tendency of our members being discriminated against both within and outside the family setting. Discrimination from the wider society is usually those that borders on fundamental rights of the Deaf-education, employment, political participation, social integration and so on. Whenever such instances arise, we usually enlighten the parties involved on the need to see the deaf as a human being with certain rights like themselves”.
“Deaf people and other disabled don’t need empathy or kindness, but to recognize the fundamental human rights of the Deaf and other disabled groups. The issue of the disabled right bill with the National Assembly needs to be vigorously and urgently pursued to logical conclusion. As God would have it, we are having the support of international organisations like the Action Aid Nigeria, the United States Agency for International Development, the British Council Department for International Development and the Coalition for Change among others. Just recently, disabled group met with the Action Aid Nigeria to review the draft bill where necessary inputs were made.
The Nigerian Government on their part has always have good intention for the deaf and other disabled, however like in any society, there are some bad eggs that would want to derail the good policy of the Government”.
And for his advice to parents with deaf children as well as his fellow deaf members, the secretary general has this to say. “My advice to parents of the deaf is that they should not see their deaf children as a failure, show love to them the same way they love other children, even more. They should give their deaf children functional education and provide them with all that is needed for their all round development. To my fellow deaf people, let us work together and do away with unnecessary bickerings. We should also be focused and determined.
All these done, the sky is not even our limit”.
Asked if he is married and how he met his wife, Adelani answered this way. “I am happily married with three lovely kids. Sure my wife is deaf. But before I met her however, I have had some relationships with hearing ladies. Somewhere along the line, I just have preference for the deaf. In fact my wife is the first deaf lady I would have a relationship with.
For hobbies, Adelani says he loves reading, traveling and managing the affairs of the deaf. He says as a man of humility, he abhors ignorance.
And in case you want to know what he misses as a deaf person, read this. “Absolutely, nothing except that I cannot hear music and other sweet melodies. Otherwise deaf can do anything except hearing. Let me add also that what the hearing can do, deaf can do better if given opportunity.
Apart from not being able to hear music and other sweet melodies, this deaf and dumb man says he misses absolutely nothing about life as he is capable of doing anything -and even doing it better than most who do not have his kind of handicap, if given the opportunity.
A graduate of Guidance and Counseling from the University of Ilorin, Mohammed Quadri Adelani who is also the secretary of the Nigerian Association of the Deaf, tells SATURDAY SUN that apart from hearing, which is the main problem of a deaf person, there is really no big deal about being a deaf.
A native of Ilobu, in Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun state, Adelani, popularly known as “Omo Iya Aladiye”, who also holds a Masters degree in Guidance and Counseling from the same university, told of how he lost his sense of hearing at the tender age of eleven when he was just a primary five pupil at the St. Theresa RCM Primary School, Ilobu, after a brief illness.
The only graduate in his family, Adelani, says but for the support and encouragement he got from his immediate family, who gave him hope that being deaf was not the end of life, he would have probably ended up in the streets as a destitute. He told of some nasty experiences he had during his secondary school days, when some nasty students often mocked him by putting leaf in their mouth and dance round him.
And on how he feels when he sees people talk and the fact that he cannot contribute to the discussion, Adelani, says he usually feels bad, especially in a situation where there is no interpreter.
“Communication is an important element in human life. As you know, every human being is a social animal, so naturally, I would feel somehow in such situation - especially where there was no interpreter or when none of the parties is able to communicate in sign language. I think our Government should popularize the sign language as a mode of communication in Nigeria”.
A staff of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Adelani went from St. Paul’s Grammar School, also in Ilobu, to the Federal College of Education (special) Oyo and graduated in 1995. He then proceeded to the University of Ilorin to study Educational Guidance and Counseling and graduated with B.Ed Honours (second class upper division) 2000. He did not just stop there, he added another feather to his cap by obtaining an M.Ed. While in College, he won the Provost award for the 3rd best student in the NCE 1 examination and went on to win the prestigious Vice-chancellor’s award for academic excellence as the 2nd best student in the B.Ed final degree examination.
Adelani’s interest in politics actually started about fifteen years ago, when he was first elected chairman of the Osun State Association for the Deaf, and later president of the Nigerian Universities Deaf Students Association, University of Ilorin branch. He said he never thought of playing deaf politics at the national level until some of his lecturers approached him sometime in 2003 during the association’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos and lured him into changing his mind and even went to the extent of convincing the deaf electorate to vote for him for the position of the secretary general of the association because of his outstanding qualities. Since then, he says, there is no going back.
And as a student, Adelani says “the experience was very wonderful especially, at both the NCE and University level where everybody (Lecturers and fellow students) want to communicate with the deaf in sign language. The Federal College of Education (special) Oyo and the University of Ilorin both provide sign language interpreters for the deaf, which further made our studies worthwhile. There was no discrimination of any form from fellow students at tertiary level. We attended lectures, played, read and cracked jokes together.
It was fun living on campus. The few instances of discrimination from fellow students were at the secondary school level. Being the only Deaf student in the secondary school, some nasty students often mocked me by putting leaf in their mouth, which I don’t understand up till today. I was able to cope by just ignoring them since I didn’t know what message they were passing to me was. In a nutshell, what the brain doesn’t comprehend, the heart doesn’t grieve about, simple”.
Adelani describes growing up as very funny, having come from a family that was both supportive and understanding even though there were ups and downs here and there. But, above all, he says: “for someone from a lower class like me. My father was a farmer while my mother sells local poultry. That is why some of my friends and acquaintances call me Omo Iya Aladiye (the child of fowl seller) to which I used to respond with enthusiasm. All the same, we give God all the glory.
As National Secretary-General of the association, Adelani, is in charge of the day to day administrative activities of the association which include sending and receiving correspondence for the association, recording of minutes and all of that. But he says it has not been that easy running the secretariat, especially where there is no physical head office and inadequate funds. But with the help and support of his fellow executives and his zeal to move the association forward, he has been able to manage the situation.
With an estimated 12 million members from across the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, the Nigerian National Association of the Deaf (NNAD), was formed in 1972 as the umbrella body and an amalgam of all the Deaf Associations in Nigeria. It is dedicated entirely to advocacy and provision of support to organisations and entities that have direct bearing on the life of Nigerian deaf people. The NNAD is also aimed at advancing and promoting the rights of Nigerian deaf people as well as holistic development of the deaf to function in all spheres of life. The Association is dully recognized by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development while at International level, NNAD is a registered member of the World Federation of the Deaf Helsinki-Finland.
Adelani, gave some of the challenges facing the deaf in the country to include lack of proper education and gainful employment, poor living standard, low self esteem. “There is also the problem of awareness about deafness and deaf culture as a distinct entity. The attitude of the society towards the deaf further compounded the problems. I must state here that deafness unlike blindness is a hidden handicap. All these put together, has imparted negatively in the life of the deaf in Nigeria”.
He gave some of the major causes of deafness to hereditary, accident and exposure to sound. Above all, he said one of the major causes of deafness is sickness, especially at a tender age and how the association has been tackling the problem of discrimination amongst its members from the general public.
According to him, “In a country like Nigeria where there is no legal right for the deaf and the disabled in general, there is the tendency of our members being discriminated against both within and outside the family setting. Discrimination from the wider society is usually those that borders on fundamental rights of the Deaf-education, employment, political participation, social integration and so on. Whenever such instances arise, we usually enlighten the parties involved on the need to see the deaf as a human being with certain rights like themselves”.
“Deaf people and other disabled don’t need empathy or kindness, but to recognize the fundamental human rights of the Deaf and other disabled groups. The issue of the disabled right bill with the National Assembly needs to be vigorously and urgently pursued to logical conclusion. As God would have it, we are having the support of international organisations like the Action Aid Nigeria, the United States Agency for International Development, the British Council Department for International Development and the Coalition for Change among others. Just recently, disabled group met with the Action Aid Nigeria to review the draft bill where necessary inputs were made.
The Nigerian Government on their part has always have good intention for the deaf and other disabled, however like in any society, there are some bad eggs that would want to derail the good policy of the Government”.
And for his advice to parents with deaf children as well as his fellow deaf members, the secretary general has this to say. “My advice to parents of the deaf is that they should not see their deaf children as a failure, show love to them the same way they love other children, even more. They should give their deaf children functional education and provide them with all that is needed for their all round development. To my fellow deaf people, let us work together and do away with unnecessary bickerings. We should also be focused and determined.
All these done, the sky is not even our limit”.
Asked if he is married and how he met his wife, Adelani answered this way. “I am happily married with three lovely kids. Sure my wife is deaf. But before I met her however, I have had some relationships with hearing ladies. Somewhere along the line, I just have preference for the deaf. In fact my wife is the first deaf lady I would have a relationship with.
For hobbies, Adelani says he loves reading, traveling and managing the affairs of the deaf. He says as a man of humility, he abhors ignorance.
And in case you want to know what he misses as a deaf person, read this. “Absolutely, nothing except that I cannot hear music and other sweet melodies. Otherwise deaf can do anything except hearing. Let me add also that what the hearing can do, deaf can do better if given opportunity.
