To any ardent observer, Abimbola Adedayo, a 30-year-old Olabisi Onabanjo University Law graduate, strikes one as a woman of strong will. Her story is one which shows her resilience to rise above every struggle and predicament. She is Ms. Wheelchair Oyo State and for her, there is no looking back.Abimbola was born normal, and could walk like every other normal child. She lived a life full of youthful dreams until when she turned 19. On January 8, 1994, her life took a painful turn. She was involved in an automobile accident on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway that affected her legs and confined her to a wheelchair. Her doctors called it compression of the spine but, according to her, she did not allow it to compress her life.In a chat with the Nigerian Tribune, she said that the accident came as a rude shock, but she didnt allow it to determine her lifestyle.I was 19 when the accident occurred. I was unconsious for a number of days after the accident. When I woke up, I discovered that I had some difficulty making use of my legs. The nurses refused to break the news to me until I stole my case-note and saw that I was diagnosed with compression of the spine. I thank God for my family and friends because they helped me through that trying phase of my life. After the accident, I encouraged myself, and with the help of God and the support of my family, I continued my education and bagged a degree in Law at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, she said.After my tertiary education, I was saddled with the task of deciding what I intended to do next. After much deliberations, I discovered that I had a passion to help the underprivileged and disabled persons. You see, here in Nigeria, people look down on the disabled and the underprivileged, as if they are under a curse. I sought to change that, she stressed.Abimbola said that it was this quest that led her to contest for Ms Wheelchair Oyo State, which she won and Ms Wheelchair Nigeria beauty contest organised by the Mobility Aid and Appliances Research and Development Centre (MAARDEC), which she did not win.When asked what her driving force was during the competition, she smiled and said, my dreams were always beyond the pageant. It was just a stepping stone, an oppurtunity which I hope to fully utilise.Though I did not win the national pageant, I was not deterred in my quest to see to the welfare of the disabled and underprivileged people. I strengthened my resolve to use my office as Ms Wheelchair Oyo State to reach out to many notable individuals, organisations, goverments, and NGOs, to come to our aid,she added.Abimbola seeks to, among other things, build a facility for the beggers and homeless people in Oyo State so that they would not constitute a nuisance to the society. The facility, according to her, would include vocational training centres, a hostel, sporting facilities, etc. This, she said, would go a long way in ensuring that disabled and underprivileged people are well catered for and are given the oppurtunity to contribute their quota to the society.She had, at various times, solicited the help of well meaning Nigerians and organisations to help with her quest.I am passionate about this project. I am appealling to Nigerians to come to our aid. I have met the Special Adviser on Physically Challenged Persons in Oyo State, Barrister Ayodele Adekanmbi, and he has promised to support our initiative.My motive is to be the spokesperson for the physically challenged, motherless and the underprivileged. I hope to take my campaign to every local government in the state during the course of my tenure canvassing for this unique group of human beings and rallying support for them.My greatest dream, however, would be to see, through practical advocacy, a disabilty bill passed by the Oyo State House of Assembly (OYSHA).She stressed that she has embarked on plans to reach out to the wife of the governor and the commissioner for women affairs so that they could help to touch the lives of the disabled and the underprivileged.Looking radiant and beaming with smiles, she added. I want to state categorically that disability is not a limit to greatness. It lies in the mind. I want all persons with disabilities to rise above their circumstances and make themselves useful to the society. Take my story, for example, I could have continued to wallow in misery and self pity after my accident, but I decided to forge ahead. That single decision, to the glory of God, has made me who I am today in addition to being a law graduate.I intend to use my knowledge in law to pursue the cause of ensuring that disabled and the underprevi-ledged are given fair hearing and equal representation at any level at all times.
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