48—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 31, 2014
My life as a physically challenged student BY LAJU ARENYEKA
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f your idea of a physically chal lenged person is someone begging on the streets think again. Rita Ofili might not be able to use her legs, but she has wheeled her way through the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions without taking any prisoners. “My parents didn’t concern themselves with my disability. All they were concerned about was: ‘How do we make her somebody? How do we secure a future for her? How can we educate her?’ Her parents’ dilemma between showing love to their special child and giving her the independence she needed finally resulted in her beginning secondary school at age ten. “I started quite late, but it did not really bug me. Throughout primary and secondary school, I was the only physically challenged person in my class.” Things got a bit more complex when Rita finished her basic education. Her parents deToday, Rita is a graduate of Linguistics, cided that she would go to a boarding student at African and Asian studies. Not only is she Federal Government Girls’ College, Ibuzor in Delconsidering pursuing another degree, she ta state. is inspiring other physically challenged “When the principal of the school people to live up to first found out about my chaltheir full potential lenge,” she said, “she wasn’t sure through the EpaI want to be a role model to if she wanted to admit me into the phata Hope Founpeople all around the world, school. She felt that I would not be dation which she able to cope. But my parents told founded and curso that when they see me, her to give me a chance. She did. rently presides. She they’ll know that disability But it wasn’t easy at all. Sometimes, believes that there there would be a stampede either should be free edudoesn’t count; it’s what you because my mates were running cation for persons bring out of it that matters from seniors or a fictional bush with disabilities, baby, and I’ll be pushed out of my and that the society chair in the process. But I was able as a whole should to scale through.” treat such people with love and care. When After secondary school in 2001, Rita stayed at asked about her plans for the future, Rita home for nearly five years before gaining admislaughs and replies: sion into the higher institution. “I know that other physically challenged “I wrote the then Unified Matriculation Examipeople can identify with me. And I want to nation, UME, about four times before I finally got be an inspiration to them. I want them to admission into school. I began at the University of look at me and say: ‘She’s just like me, if Lagos in 2006, and for the first time I was not the she can do this, so can I. I want to teach only physically challenged person in the entire them to take pride in themselves. I want to school. I saw people who had challenges worse than be a role model to people all around the mine. And I was inspired that if they could be in world, so that when they see me, they’ll school pursuing their university degree, then I know that disability doesn’t count; it’s what could do it too.” you bring out of it that matters.”
Rita Ofilia
They did not destroy property worth 100m — Caleb Parents BY LAJU ARENYEKA
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arents of Caleb University students have said the surcharge meted out to each student for damages to the school property during the fracas two weeks ago was high as students could not have destroyed property worth N100 million. The school management sent this text message to parents earlier in the week: “CUL Parents and Students are hereby notified that school resumes Mon,June 2. Exams start Mon,June 9. Male students are to pay N100, 000 while the female would pay N50, 000 by Bank Draft into Ecobank Acct 1993000979 to offset damage to school property. Balance of Sch. Fees should be paid into Sterling Bank Acct. 0020022195. No student would be allowed into the University Premises without evidence of payment of school fees and the surcharge. A guarantor must accompany each student with a letter of undertaking to be of good behavior.”A mother, whose daughter is a student at the school told Saturday Vanguard: “The money they asked us to pay is too much. There are at least 1400 students in that school. If they must pay this much to offset the damage, that’s at least N100 million. What did they destroy that is worth that much? A lot of students lost their property. My daughter lost her laptop, she was in the hostel when the whole thing happened. Where will I get money to buy a new laptop and then pay this surcharge?”