Toheeb Babalola
The present civilization most especially in Africa, is struggling for development because people living in it are not united. A society that denies people living with disabilities (PWDs) education, employment and social life without any support is slightly doomed to be going on on a downward spiral.
In many under developed or developing nations, despite frequent sensitization and advocacy, the public perception towards people with disabilities (PWDs) is negative. It is of note that 80Million out of over 1.3 billon persons with disabilities are living in majority of these developing or underdeveloped world. Yet communities in these regions have categorized PWDs as incapable people, talentless, and only hope they have in mind for them is “Street begging”. Nevertheless, there are outstanding individuals who had distinguished themselves irrespective of the fact they have a level of impairment. Either temporary or permanent.
Interestingly nature had not stopped surprising men. We have great people living with different impairments who are doing excellently well in their various profession. One of them is Yekini Ridwan Tijani, a mobility impaired Shoemaker at Fanawole, Apete Ibadan, in Ido Local Government Area, Oyo State Nigeria.
How I discover edTijani
It was on Monday morning, August 14th 2023, I visited vicinity of Ibadan-poly students called Fanawole, Apete in Ibadan, South west, Nigeria. Surprising, I saw a man on the wheelchair surrounded by apprentices in a workshop under business name, “Iderade Shoes enterprise”.
Welcoming me with kind gesture as if we had prior engagement, is Mr. Yekini Ridwan Tijani, popularly called by his third name “Tijani”, a mobility impaired who is a professional cobbler making different kind of footwear for both male and female gender.
Photo credit ; Toheeb Bablola
Tijani, a 33yr old male who always uses himself as a specimen for other people with different impairment to strivie for both academic and vocation success despite the barriers placed on them by the society, has trained many people on the art of shoemaking and gotten recommendations from within and outside the urban city of ibadan.
“When it comes to shoemaking and shoemaking industry, to be modest, I had outperformed many despites my disability”, Tijani told this journalist
Journey to disability
Responding to his journey to disability, Tijani revealed that his mobility challenge transcends his knowledge and as it is n either a result of accident nor disease(s). Interestingly according to Tijani, “I was not born with mobility impairment. My mother told me when I was 4-5yr old, in the midnight I wanted to urinate and she asked me to stand up but I could not. That was how my legs became immobile or paralyzed if we are to use the common language people understand. My parent did their best as they sought medical attentions to no avail, I was referred to different consultants at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan but to no avail. This situation had remained unchanged till now till I am over 30yr old”
The Struggle and discovery of my potential in the shoemaking industry
“… they told me to stay at home and stop stressing myself but I had to encourage myself…” –Tijani
Tijani shared enthusiastically, “In 2007, I started using different kinds of mobility support in secondary school. I was lucky to have many of my friends who would come to my hostel early in the morning to help me carry my things so that we can get to assembly before 8am. With this supportive team of my friends, I did not miss any class, had a good grade in my Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) till we finished in 2013.
Like any other person, Tijani, after successfully completed his secondary school education with good grades, he sat for Joint Admission Matriculation Board, JAMB with the aim of securing admission I for higher degree. But while waiting for admission, he decided to learn shoemaking at Ori Are, Apete.
“I started learning shoemaking after graduating from secondary school, most people always tell me to stay at home and stop stressing myself but I had to encourage myself to striving for success in this profession. Despite the distance between my home and my tainer(master’s) workshop at Ori Are, I walked with my crutches every day.
Having learned the trade, I gained freedom as shoemaker after two years of learning in 2015. Despite this I got no financial support to set up my trade after this so I had to strive and push the limit to get the initial capital to start. To cushion the effect of this, I started out as employee of my trainer. It was while doing this this that I made the initial start-up capital. The experience helped me to develop customer acquisition and management. Very invaluable I must admit
Academic struggle
In the cause of building his business and with this background, Tijani gained admission into The Polytechnic Ibadan where he studied marketing. Tijani today is a professional marketer that knows his onions when it comes to business relationship management; This has greatly influence his interaction with partners and suppliers.
Tijani said, “I studied marketing at The polytechnic, Ibadan, where I obtained my National Diploma in marketing between 2018 and 2019. It was though, attending lectures was not easy from my place at Apete to lecture theatre. As an ambitious person, I did not look at the stress but the success after it. Again, with the help of my friends and course mate then, Wale, who used to carry me on his back scaled through till the end of my program. I am planning to enroll for my Higher National Diploma soon.
Challenges/Harassment
As a professional shoemaker who makes quality footwear in different kinds and patterns, the price tag of his products is premium. Because of this sometimes customers use abusive words at him. Tijani, a cool man will rather say, “Do I look like a beggar, I need your patronage for you to encourage me.
Most times Tijani have had series of encounter with different people on the street whenever he goes to market to purchase materials for his business while on his wheelchair. There are those who pity, look scornfully at him as well as those who encouraged him
A common form of harassment or embarrassment is seeing people throwing money at you as if you are begging. “There was a day at this Fanawo bus stop, I was having a business engagement with an Igbo shoe supplier. As we are chatting beside the road, one lady brought out 20 naira note to throw at me and everybody including bike-men was surprised. Even with my good attire, the lady still believed I must be begging” When she realized her mistake, she knelt down and apologized. I was embarrassed that day because she used 5mins to apologize.
Tijani narrated another experience he had recently “Last weekend at Beere in Ibadan South East Local Government, I wanted to board a danfo going to Oritaperin and a woman approached me with aim of helping to pay my transfer fare as she thought I could not afford said. I did not get angry but politely declined.
“Some customers came to buy shoes and I told them the exact price which seemed higher to them. They said that, “we just want to help you buy shoes and you are tagging it with higher price”,
I always hate it anytime people see, view me from a beggar’s perspective, please keep your money – Tijani
In spite of his mobility and financial challenges, Tijani has never felt like begging.
He said, “During my elementary education days at First Baptist Primary School, Idikan in Ibadan North West Local Government, with my crutches I walked from school down to Opo-yeosa where were living then. There was a day, I was going home inside the sun after school, someone gave me money for transport fare, and I rejected it and also abused the person. Many people reported me to my mother for not collecting money from them, she confirmed to them that I am not a beggar”.
Philanthropic
With his little earning from shoemaking, Tijani gives out from his pocket to the needy.
According to him, “I wish to contribute to the society most specially to erase the negative perception about PWDs in the public domain, but my financial capability is low at the moment. However, I always support most of the Students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan living in my vicinity with little money I made from this profession for them to eat and cater for their academics. I also made shoes for them for free”
Involvement of Government
Tijani has never sought for financial aids from the government because he is self-sufficient through his shoemaking. He said, “it is not easy to reach them. Some of our leaders are selfish. When they realized you as PWD, they will find to a way to exploit you and I am not the kind of person to be used. With little earning in this shoemaking, I am self-sufficient”.
Tijani’s recommendation to other PWDs
“Like they always say that charity begins at home. Any member of a family with physical impairment, they should encourage him with education together with vocational training. With this, I am very sure he or she will self-sufficient like me. Don’t lock them inside the house but give them the exposure and social life they deserve as human beings so that there won’t be segregation”, he advised
Adding that he has once confronted a physical challenged person who also into shoemaking but keep begging and he told him to stop and focus on his business.
What Tijani’s neighbors are sying
Acknowledging his effort, a business owner, Mrs. Bunmi said, Tijani and her are like brother and sister as the way they relate in shop. Noting that Tijani lacks capital to boom his business but no customer has never complained about his service.
Buttressing Bunmi, a student and regular customer of Tijani, Mr. Ibrahim Aderogba added that Tijani has never disappointed him before. Emphasizing that he is a goodhearted man to reckon with.
*Toheeb Babalola a journalist and fellow of Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals Disability and Inclusion Reporting sent this in from Ibadan as part of his story requirement as fellow of the project. The project was done in conjunction with Centre for Disability and Inclusion Africa
Pc: DSFN
