Seven years after the Ogun Disability Law was signed, the state, like many other parts of Nigeria, still grapples with challenges faced by Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Gift Oba reports.
On a sunny afternoon this December, Ileyemi Olayinka, was denied access into a bank at Sapon, Abeokuta, Ogun State, where she went to make some transactions. Olayinka’s offense was her wheelchair.
“You can’t go inside (banking hall). We’ll call one of our staff to come and attend to you outside,” one of the security guards told her, leading to a back and forth.
Disturbed by the stiff resistance, Olayinka threw an unanswered question at them:
“When I wanted to open an account here, did you people tell me to stay outside?”
Olayinka who lives at Adigbe area of Ogun’s capital city told DAILY POST her hard-to-forget experience after she was attended to outside the banking hall.
Whereas, getting to the bank from her house was another herculean task.
“I live in Adigbe. If I’m going to the other side of Panseke, I have to look for another taxi to take me across to the other side.
“I cannot cross and I can’t climb the (Panseke) pedestrian bridge. It’s too high and long,” Olayinka said