ONE of the reasons for creating the museums of unity in Nigeria is to conserve and protect the heritage and diverse cultural artefacts of the people for onward transmission to younger generation through educative and innovative community based programmes.More importantly, the museum is a platform to rallying all and sundry for the promotion of cultural norms and values, which bind the Nigeria people together.However, the National Museum of Unity Ibadan, in practical terms recently rolled out drums amidst fun and pageantry to give a special treat to the physically challenged as part of its annual dance, music and song competition.The soul-touching event did not only give the participants, who are physically challenged students from different schools and homes in Ibadan a sense of belonging, but also brought out the best in them as they put up different performances that transmit that there is ability in disability.Moving from one display of cultural performance to the other, the participants attracted encomiums and resounding applauds as they treated audience to beautiful cultural music, folk songs, dance and recitation of poems.Schools that participated at this year's competition, include school for the handicapped, Ilokodo, WOLACH Centre for the handicapped, Rehabilitation Centre for the Disable, Moniya, Lagelu Special School, Lalupon, Oluyole Cheshire Home, Sango, HLA School for the Handicapped, Agodi, LA School for the Handicapped, Kajola, Sekinat Olupaju Adebola Centre for the Disabled among others.Aside the entertainment of audience at the museum hall, the height of the event was a paper presentation by a scholar and chief Iman of Oluyole Estate Extension, Ibadan, Alhaji Mudasiru Bada on the topic Ability in Disability, the way to survive.Bada's presentation was encouraging and took home by all and sundry as it spanned through ability in disability as a propellant to life and an inspiration through innovation.According to him, 'Nature has left us naked and vulnerable to the risks and uncertainties of life, hence our policies provide protection and courage against undesired events and since knowledge will forever govern ignorance, every generation needs a new revolution.Drawing words of inspiration from different schools of thought, Bada said that nature gives to every time and season, some beauties of its own, thus being physically challenged is an accident, mass produced, an assembly line product, but deliberately planned, specifically gifted and lovingly positioned on earth the master-craftsman (God).'For things to change, you must change, for things to be better, you must be better, therefore creativity is thinking up new things, innovation is doing new things, hence change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.'In addition, the Imam said that the present world of diversity in thought, understanding coupled with unending complexities, humanity many a time, is at crossroads as to his safety, preservation and eventual survival.'So mankind's propellant to life therefore is for him to evaluate his living conditions and explore areas of succour to embrace innovations, inspiration and revolution to creating natural values and comforts of good living standards, conducive environment and expansion of his intellectual horizon to align with endless terrain of technological advancement in modern day life.In an articulated speech, the Special Adviser to Governor of Oyo State on people living with disability, Prince Paul Adelabu charged the audience to stop using the word disabled for the physically challenged, adding that disability is a mental state rather than the physical deformity ascribed to it.'The physically challenged are people of special talents who need special care to actualise their full potentialities. We have geniuses and leaders among them who need attention, fair hearing and support in every sphere of human endeavour.'In developed countries, the physically challenged are given preferential treatment in everything they do and there is also provision for their upkeep unlike here in Nigeria where they are treated as second class citizens.Adelabu, who said Governor Abiola Ajimobi is passionate about bringing succour to the physically challenged in the state revealed that the state has made provision for the supply of state-of-the-art equipment that will boost learning and support them in their day to day activities.'Showing his unalloyed commitment to the plight of the physically challenged the SA said, 'I want to assure you all that my office is opened to anyone who needs support or any logistical help to develop or promote his or her talents.For the Director, Special Education Unit, Ministry of Education, Mrs Grace Adejumobi, thanked the National Museum for Unity, Ibadan for the laudable platform created to celebrate and promote the talents deposited in the physically challenged by God calling on government, corporate and private individuals and organisations to also create a threshold of developmental programmes through corporate social responsibility activities.'If music is the food of life, give me more.' Adejumobi said as she commended the participants for the interest and lively atmosphere created, adding that music is entertaining, educative and therapeutic.'This programme is the first of its kind in Oyo state charge the organisers not to rest on the oars to see that the tempo keeps on going higher.'The curator of the museum, Mr Olubode Marcus Adesina, in his speech described the event as a special platform created by the museum to educate, encourage and celebrate talents and ingenuity of the physically challenged in our community.'It is our pleasure in the museum to organise this competition as an avenue to relate and interact with these people as a way of instilling in them a sense of belonging, self-fulfilment, creativity, personal self concept and to draw the attention of the public to their plight.'This competition will therefore be an avenue for such people to particularly exhibit their residual ability, hidden talents and achievement.Practically, the Museum Ibadan had taken it upon itself to sensitise the public and give awareness on the need to rehabilitate the children, expose them to various academic and vocational trainings and independent skills with the view to making them to realise the importance of productive living as opposed to alms begging and life of dejection.
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