People living with Cerebral palsy can aspire to greater heights; FUO special needs graduate, Abdulhameed narrates the ‘why’ behind his resilience, strive for success
Posted by Ahmed Iyanda | 3 years ago | 2,828 times
Editor's notes: 28-year-old Abdulhameed Feyisayo Abdulrahman, a person living with Cerebral Palsy tells AHMED IYANDA the 'why' behind his resilience and strive for success.
Can we meet you?
I am Abdulhameed Feyisayo, a 28 year old Graduate of Mass Communication from Fountain University, Osogbo. I am a person living with Cerebral Palsy. I started my primary education when I was 10 years old at Royalbell Nursery & Primary School, Gbagada Lagos. My early years were spent going for a series of physiotherapy sessions, the reason for my late start at receiving formal education. Prior to going to Fountain University, I started my secondary education at Ad-Dawah Comprehensive College Ijebu-Ode, up to SS1 and completed my secondary education in Le-Genue Schools (A school of The Academy), Oshodi Lagos. I am the first of 5 boys. Mine is a case of Spastic Diplegic cerebral palsy which resulted in impaired fine motor activies such as walking, writing and dexterity, hence my need for walking aids for mobility.
What inspired you to study Mass Communication?
My mum and grandmother were instrumental in steering me towards my career choice. My mum continuously reviewed my grades and was quick to notice my preference for English Language and other Art subjects, as my grades were better than the Sciences. My grandmother chose Mass Communication in the midst of all other available Arts courses based on her assessment of my interest in Arts subjects.
When I began the journey of studying Mass Communication, I discovered that I like to talk and I can face a crowd. I then began to envision myself as a Broadcaster. To be honest, Mass Communication was not my personal first choice of study, I would have preferred to study History. My interest in History stems from my love for the historical background of people, places and events along with the dates of their existence & occurrence. In addition, I am very good at memorizing dates, past or present. However, I learnt that History as a stand-alone course had been scrapped in the University curriculum, except History is combined with another course. Today, I do not regret studying Mass Communication. In today’s modern times where things are fluid and not rigidly set in stones, I know my interest in History will still become relevant sometime during my career as a Broadcaster. The future I see is a bright one.
What kept you motivated while in school, being a person with special needs?
What actually motivated me while I was in School was seeing how my colleagues were participating in every School activity; whether class work, group work, University events, etc etc. I hungered to be a part of them and that hunger fuelled my action because it kept me motivated. I told myself “If they can, then you can as well, if not better, then do exactly as they are doing”. My condition has never been a hindrance in all my thought processes.
Did you encounter any form of discrimination and how did you handle them?
I did not encounter any form of discrimination from anyone. Rather it has been love, care, empathy all the time, from all within the school–lecturers, non-teaching staff and students alike.
Would you say there have been times when anyone cheated you or tried to take advantage of your condition?
I would say there was no such thing, except once when I was in the 100 level. A particular incident was with one of my roommates then, who was in the 400 level at that time. My mum had given me an extra phone. Mainly because it was my first time leaving home to go so far away from Lagos. My mum felt it was imperative that I could be reached at all times, hence the extra phone. I was naive and innocent, so I lent out both my extra phone and laptop to my 400L room mate. He never returned the phone. He finally returned the laptop after several attempts to retrieve it from him but it was no longer in a good state. Understandably, my mum was furious. It was my HoD who interceded, he spoke with her on the need for me to have a good working laptop as the bad one was affecting my work and consequently, my grades negatively. His intercession worked as She finally got another laptop for me.
Nobody took advantage of me and my kindness ever since.
So far, you’ve defied the odds. What would you say has kept you going?
First and foremost, my Reliance and Trust in Almighty Allah Has Kept me going. Following closely behind is the huge support and encouragement I received and still receiving from my mum, my step-father, my siblings, my grandmother, my aunties and other extended family members. Other supporters are the many beloved friends and well wishes surrounding my parents and grandparents. In particular, my mum and step-father would always say "Don't ever think that you are abnormal. You are a normal person who just needs walking aids to move about, end of story! Never ever let your walking challenges hinder you from striving to reach for the moon. If you consider yourself different, don't let it be because of your walking challenges. Rather, consider yourself DIFFERENT because you are putting in double the efforts than others are, and you strongly believe that it would pay off in the long run.”
They often say: “Our only limitations are those we set up in our own minds”.
Did you encounter any challenges while in school?
Yes, I encountered many challenges mostly related to mobility; the roads were not paved, therefore moving about with my walker and wheelchair was hugely stressful, particularly walking the distance from the hostel to School area, and sometimes I didn't have any help; and of course the normal rigors of class, school work and assignments; i fell ill a couple of times, mostly due to stress as i had to wake up earlier than usual just to have ample time to wheel myself to class in time for my lectures.
Another challenge I encountered which stands out occurred during Ramadan. To the Glory of God, the school embarked on commendable charity work by providing free meals to all students during Ramadan, kudos to them. However, there were times when I used to miss those free meals as the food would have finished by the time I completed my salaat and wheeled myself to the kitchen. I'll be honest, those couple of times I missed the free food, I used to feel bad that I was missing out on the largesse.
What are you really passionate about as a Nigerian youth?
As a Nigerian Youth, I am passionate about the good and betterness of Nigeria. I wish and pray that Nigeria goes back to her glory days. Particularly, I wish that the Nigerian youths are given more chances to prove themselves worthy of public service by being given more leadership responsibilities.
What change do you want to see taking place in Nigeria and how are you contributing to making this a reality?
I honestly want Nigeria to be rated among the top countries to visit in the world. I want to see Nigeria where its green passport would be a document people want to have and are proud to have its citizenship.
I am contributing my quota by being a well behaved Nigerian youth. I was awarded the best behaved graduating student for the 2020/2021 academic session. I want that to be an inspiration for others. I hope I have woken up to the good behavior gene that has been sleeping within far too many FUO students, such that the school management would struggle to pick best behaved graduating students in subsequent years to come. I also want to use my voice and the media as a Broadcaster to contribute to the change of Nigeria by putting myself out there as exemplary in anything I do. I want to start the movement “if he can, so can I”
What has living with cerebral palsy taught you about life?
Living with cerebral palsy, particularly my mobility and dexterity challenges have taught me that life is not a bird of roses. My mum and step-father drummed excellence into my ears from early on. They would say “It is better to be respected than to be pitied. Strive for excellence so that the emotions you will evoke from people would be respect and not pity”. Another of their words to me are “it’s a jungle out there, only the fittest can survive. Therefore, as a person with special needs, you have to put in double the efforts than the next man, in order to achieve the same feats, so as not to be relegated or neglected.”
The life lessons I've learnt and am still learning, helped fuel my determination to succeed and conquer obstacles along my path. And, Allaah Has Been Merciful.
What do you have to tell other people with special needs and Nigerian youths?
Because I know that there are different types of people with special needs, I will be addressing only those with sound body and mind. I would like to encourage them never to look down on themselves or think and see themselves as less than the other people around them. They should always strive to achieve great things in life just like every other person does in the society and in the world at large. What we think of ourselves in our inner minds is what would be portrayed about us to the people who see us in the physical.
My mum taught me this quote from Napoleon Hill’s book "Think and Grow Rich": “If you think you are beaten, you are; If you think you dare not, you don’t; If you like to win, but you think you can’t, It is almost certain you won’t. If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost; For out in the world we find, Success begins with a fellow’s will, It’s all in the state of mind. If you think you are outclassed, you are; You’ve got to think high to rise; You’ve got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize.”
"Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man, But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!”
