Inclusivity – Kudos To NBA And The Judiciary For Great Strides Made In Improving Access To Justice And The Welfare Of Disabled Lawyers And Nigerians.

By Dr. Raphael Christopher

It was Voltaire the famous French author, humanist, rationalist,
& satirist (1694 – 1778) who famously said “…Appreciation is a
wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us
as well…”

As everyone knows, have experienced, seen others experience –
Life is inherently unfair.

Disability is unfair. Everyone with a hidden or open disability
is automatically at a disadvantage in our society in so many
situations and even though their sufferings are seen they often go
unheeded. The differently abled are being taken advantage of
unfairly on a daily basis. Yet, they possess bags of potential,
talents, great personalities, good hearted and amazing abilities
that enriches our society and makes us all the richer.

Now, there are exceptional human beings who have despite their
disabilities and challenges have overcome hardships in their lives
to become great leaders. They abound in every walk of life and we
salute them all as inspirational and included in these are my
fellow lawyers and professionals with disabilities.

It is everyone’s duty and responsibility to work, within the
limits of our powers, at removing all barriers, unfairness and
obstacles in the paths of our disabled brethren in accessing what
most able bodied Nigerians take for granted.

Recall I have been advocating for a change in our collective
attitude at all levels of society towards the sad plight of our
disabled brothers and sisters – the over 25 million Nigerians
suffering unimaginable rejection, discrimination and despair in
silence for these many many years.

Fortunately, progress have been made with the Nigerian
Government enacting into law The Discrimination Against Persons
with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 and the establishment of a
commission National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD)
pursuant to section (31) of the Discrimination against Persons with
Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 to handle matters related to
enforcement of the aforesaid Act.

Their Facebook page is as set out below should any one need to
contact them for anything related to the enforcement of The
Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act
2018

https://m.facebook.com/pg/NigeriaNCPDOfficial/about/^[1]
I am pleased to also report that this progress began has now
received further recognition and breakthroughs in several respects
in different arenas of society.

Firstly, and the most important, since my fellow legal
professionals and I are charged with noble duty of the championing
the rights of everyone including the over 25 million Nigerians with
disabilities, it was therefore fitting that charity should begin at
home.

The Nigerian Bar Association in response to my pleas to organise
a special interest forum for lawyers with disabilities have
listened and The President Mr Olumide Akpata at the recently
concluded NBA NEC deliberations, announced the setting up of an NBA
Lawyers with Disability Forum, to deal with issues concerning
Lawyers with disabilities and engender diversity and inclusion in
the affairs of the NBA.

This announcement by The NBA is groundbreaking and the making of
history for the present NBA and for this, they deserve great kudos
and appreciation. I thank the NBA President Mr Akpata and The NBA
great team for listening to me and to all the many other lawyers
and bodies such as Association of Lawyers with Disabilities in
Nigeria (ALDIN) and various others who have for the past years
before me, have been lobbying hard for the creation of an official
NBA Lawyers with disabilities forum.

The present constituted NBA lawyers with disabilities forum are
comprised of the right people who are excellent and able lawyers
with the interests of the disabled lawyers at heart and I am
confident that they are the right team to lead and help everyone in
NBA to uphold the rights of disabled lawyers and by extension help
the 25 million disabled Nigerians exercise their rights to access
Justice. I congratulate them and encourage them to be mindful of
history and to do their utmost to discharge the great task
entrusted to them.

There is more good news. Now the Nigerian Judiciary have also
listened to the many others and myself who have been campaigning
for changes in our judicial system to help everyone with
disabilities to access justice.

The Nigerian Judiciary have now made history by The recent
appointment by The Honourable Chief Judge of the Federal Capital
Territory, FCT, Hon. Justice S. Garba, who has nominated Mrs. Nkem
Martins D. Akpuoye as the Disability Desk Officer of the FCT High
Court.

The Disability Desk Officer, is a position created to serve as a
liaison officer for persons with disabilities at the FCT High
Court, ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all
court activities from the provision of sign language interpreter
when necessary, all court information in an accessible format, and
implementation of disability law in FCT High Court.

fct-high-court-cj-appoints-a-disability-desk-officer/^[2]

These developments are so gratifying and again kudos to the
Federal High Court for this groundbreaking and very important step
in the delivery of access to justice for disabled persons in our
society.

There is still more to be done.

Now, I humbly appeal to all the NBA branches throughout the
country and the various regional Bar Forum, to consider the setting
up of their own NBA lawyers with disability forums which would feed
into The National NBA disability forum and together coordinate
activities and goals to establish itself as a robust synergistic
strong and united body to drive the implementation of the
disability laws and inclusivity in our great society.

I also humbly appeal to The Supreme Court of Nigeria, The Court
of Appeal and all state High Courts, Customary Courts and Election
Tribunals and all Judicial bodies to please consider setting up
disability Liaison officers within their establishments to ensure
the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all courts activities
from the provision of sign language interpreter when necessary, all
court information in an accessible format, and implementation of
disability law in their various establishments.

In the same vein, I also appeal to The Federal Government of
Nigeria, The Honourable Senate, The Federal House of
Representatives; Every State Government; State House of
Representatives; Local Governments and public bodies in every state
every bank, every Political parties of Nigeria; to please consider
as a matter of some urgency to setting up disability Liaison
officers within their establishments to ensure the inclusion of
persons with disabilities in all their activities from the
provision of sign language interpreter when necessary, all
information in an accessible format, and implementation of
disability law in their establishments and by so
doing will help to make history by making fairer and easier, the
unfair life which at least 25 million Nigerians currently
suffer.

If we get this right, over 25 million differently abled
Nigerians, their families, communities and generations to come will
one day look back at this momentous stage in our democracy and will
applaud you and appreciate you for taking the right action at this
right time for your actions will help make life fairer for them in
that they will engender an inclusive society which makes what is
excellent in others, to belong to us as well and together we can
aspire and strive as far as we can, within the limits of our
powers, to make things better for our disabled and differently
abled brethren thereby creating a better and inclusive democratic
society for all of us and for generations yet unborn.

By Dr. Raphael Christopher

It was Voltaire the famous French author, humanist, rationalist,
& satirist (1694 – 1778) who famously said “…Appreciation is a
wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us
as well…”

As everyone knows, have experienced, seen others experience –
Life is inherently unfair.

Disability is unfair. Everyone with a hidden or open disability
is automatically at a disadvantage in our society in so many
situations and even though their sufferings are seen they often go
unheeded. The differently abled are being taken advantage of
unfairly on a daily basis. Yet, they possess bags of potential,
talents, great personalities, good hearted and amazing abilities
that enriches our society and makes us all the richer.

Now, there are exceptional human beings who have despite their
disabilities and challenges have overcome hardships in their lives
to become great leaders. They abound in every walk of life and we
salute them all as inspirational and included in these are my
fellow lawyers and professionals with disabilities.

It is everyone’s duty and responsibility to work, within the
limits of our powers, at removing all barriers, unfairness and
obstacles in the paths of our disabled brethren in accessing what
most able bodied Nigerians take for granted.

Recall I have been advocating for a change in our collective
attitude at all levels of society towards the sad plight of our
disabled brothers and sisters – the over 25 million Nigerians
suffering unimaginable rejection, discrimination and despair in
silence for these many many years.

Fortunately, progress have been made with the Nigerian
Government enacting into law The Discrimination Against Persons
with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 and the establishment of a
commission National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD)
pursuant to section (31) of the Discrimination against Persons with
Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 to handle matters related to
enforcement of the aforesaid Act.

Their Facebook page is as set out below should any one need to
contact them for anything related to the enforcement of The
Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act
2018

https://m.facebook.com/pg/NigeriaNCPDOfficial/about/^[1]
I am pleased to also report that this progress began has now
received further recognition and breakthroughs in several respects
in different arenas of society.

Firstly, and the most important, since my fellow legal
professionals and I are charged with noble duty of the championing
the rights of everyone including the over 25 million Nigerians with
disabilities, it was therefore fitting that charity should begin at
home.

The Nigerian Bar Association in response to my pleas to organise
a special interest forum for lawyers with disabilities have
listened and The President Mr Olumide Akpata at the recently
concluded NBA NEC deliberations, announced the setting up of an NBA
Lawyers with Disability Forum, to deal with issues concerning
Lawyers with disabilities and engender diversity and inclusion in
the affairs of the NBA.

This announcement by The NBA is groundbreaking and the making of
history for the present NBA and for this, they deserve great kudos
and appreciation. I thank the NBA President Mr Akpata and The NBA
great team for listening to me and to all the many other lawyers
and bodies such as Association of Lawyers with Disabilities in
Nigeria (ALDIN) and various others who have for the past years
before me, have been lobbying hard for the creation of an official
NBA Lawyers with disabilities forum.

The present constituted NBA lawyers with disabilities forum are
comprised of the right people who are excellent and able lawyers
with the interests of the disabled lawyers at heart and I am
confident that they are the right team to lead and help everyone in
NBA to uphold the rights of disabled lawyers and by extension help
the 25 million disabled Nigerians exercise their rights to access
Justice. I congratulate them and encourage them to be mindful of
history and to do their utmost to discharge the great task
entrusted to them.

There is more good news. Now the Nigerian Judiciary have also
listened to the many others and myself who have been campaigning
for changes in our judicial system to help everyone with
disabilities to access justice.

The Nigerian Judiciary have now made history by The recent
appointment by The Honourable Chief Judge of the Federal Capital
Territory, FCT, Hon. Justice S. Garba, who has nominated Mrs. Nkem
Martins D. Akpuoye as the Disability Desk Officer of the FCT High
Court.

The Disability Desk Officer, is a position created to serve as a
liaison officer for persons with disabilities at the FCT High
Court, ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all
court activities from the provision of sign language interpreter
when necessary, all court information in an accessible format, and
implementation of disability law in FCT High Court.

fct-high-court-cj-appoints-a-disability-desk-officer/^[2]

These developments are so gratifying and again kudos to the
Federal High Court for this groundbreaking and very important step
in the delivery of access to justice for disabled persons in our
society.

There is still more to be done.

Now, I humbly appeal to all the NBA branches throughout the
country and the various regional Bar Forum, to consider the setting
up of their own NBA lawyers with disability forums which would feed
into The National NBA disability forum and together coordinate
activities and goals to establish itself as a robust synergistic
strong and united body to drive the implementation of the
disability laws and inclusivity in our great society.

I also humbly appeal to The Supreme Court of Nigeria, The Court
of Appeal and all state High Courts, Customary Courts and Election
Tribunals and all Judicial bodies to please consider setting up
disability Liaison officers within their establishments to ensure
the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all courts activities
from the provision of sign language interpreter when necessary, all
court information in an accessible format, and implementation of
disability law in their various establishments.

In the same vein, I also appeal to The Federal Government of
Nigeria, The Honourable Senate, The Federal House of
Representatives; Every State Government; State House of
Representatives; Local Governments and public bodies in every state
every bank, every Political parties of Nigeria; to please consider
as a matter of some urgency to setting up disability Liaison
officers within their establishments to ensure the inclusion of
persons with disabilities in all their activities from the
provision of sign language interpreter when necessary, all
information in an accessible format, and implementation of
disability law in their establishments and by so
doing will help to make history by making fairer and easier, the
unfair life which at least 25 million Nigerians currently
suffer.

If we get this right, over 25 million differently abled
Nigerians, their families, communities and generations to come will
one day look back at this momentous stage in our democracy and will
applaud you and appreciate you for taking the right action at this
right time for your actions will help make life fairer for them in
that they will engender an inclusive society which makes what is
excellent in others, to belong to us as well and together we can
aspire and strive as far as we can, within the limits of our
powers, to make things better for our disabled and differently
abled brethren thereby creating a better and inclusive democratic
society for all of us and for generations yet unborn.