Ruth Idi Okpoto, do you still remember her? She is the deaf university
student who graduated as the best student in her Faculty of Education,
at the University of Ilorin, in 2009, and whose story once made the
cover of the Education Review. But the shocking part of the story is
that six years after topping her class, the lady who is now married and
answers Ruth Omopariola-Bolarinwa is yet to get a job despite promises
upon promises, none of which has materialised and are unlikely to do so,
unless something, somewhere gives way.
In this heart-rending account, the mother of one child, through a
sobering email sent to Education Review pleading with it to bring her
plight to the attention of the public, tells the trauma she’s been
through all these years and why she wants University of Ilorin,
government agencies, parastatals and private companies like ExxonMobil,
Glo, MTN, Etisalat, Airtel, to come to her rescue.
“To set the record straight I am not a deaf-mute. Not all deaf people
are dummies. I am a bilingual deaf person with a mild hearing loss. I
became deaf in 1997 at the age of 15 while in SS 1 at Dairy Farm
Secondary School, Lagos. I have already acquired language proficiency
before the sickness that caused my hearing loss started then. After the
illness, I discovered I couldn’t hear very well whenever people talk to
me unless I read their lips. Despite this hearing difficulty, I
continued my education at the school."
“At a point, I confided in the Vice Principal (Academic) Deaconess
Afolabi but she didn’t believe me because according to her I could speak
and hear her. She decided to check my academic records but was
surprised to realize how brilliant I was as a deaf person. From there,
she showed interest in me and adopted me. She later introduced me to her
husband – Pastor Toye Afolabi. They supported me to further my
education at Kwara State College of Education, Oro, in 1999, after the
completion of my SSCE. I lived and grew up under their loving care for
more than 15 years till I got married in 2011."
“When I got admissions into University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), they
encouraged and supported me. I did not even know sign language then but I
excelled at the College where I studied Agriculture. I did my IT at the
Lagos State Agriculture Development Authority without the help of any
interpreter. I have a good rapport with people. Some people think I am
pretending to be deaf whenever I tell them about it because of the way I
relate with them. I didn’t attend any special school but I learnt the
skill of sign language while teaching at Christian Mission School for
the Deaf at Ibadan in 2003."
“I am physically, mentally, emotionally and morally sound, and very
assertive. I love interacting with people but I don’t like to be taken
for granted. Intellectually, I like reading and researching. I also love
playing football. Mind you, I am still playing football even now as a
nursing mother. My friend used to call me Tomboy in those days because I
like doing what boys do. I love tasks that challenge my intellect. My
husband and I have similar condition. He is deaf but he can speak
English fluently. We are both qualified graduates from University of
Ilorin. He is, at present, working with Ogun State Teachers Service
Commission.
“I scored a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.45. That was the
score I saw on the result sheet in the first semester of my final year.
After the completion of my study I graduated with a second class honour
(Upper Division)."
“On the efforts made so far to get a good job, I had wanted to work with
the University of Ilorin. There is a lecturer at the Faculty of
Education, I was so fond of her even till today. Leaving her was,
indeed, a difficult challenge for me. The affection I have for her made
my desire to work in the university stronger and that was what motivated
me to do my NYSC in the institution. The lecturer is now a professor. I
was then lucky to serve at the newly established Centre for Peace and
Strategic Studies (CPSS) headed by her (Prof. Olasehinde Williams).
Before the completion of my NYSC, I wrote a letter requesting to be
retained but got no response then."
“After the completion of my one mandatory youth service, I continued to
apply for job whenever the university released vacancies. I think I have
done so thrice. The former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, was
making attempt to employ me based on my application which was submitted
to him in 2012/2013. I later learnt that he was about to do that before
his tenure expired. I wrote a letter explaining the situation to the new
Vice Chancellor (Prof. Ambali) in 2013 and, in fact, re-applied last
year but the vacancy was put on hold."
“Another opportunity came when ex-President Goodluck Jonathan gave
disabled people employment opportunity in 2013. I joined others to apply
and traveled with my husband to Abuja for the interview in November. My
daughter was just seven months old when I embarked on the journey with
her. The selection process was based on our qualification and I had the
faith that I would be selected since I was the only applicant with
second class honour (Upper Division) among the deaf applicants from Ondo
State. I was disappointed when my name did not appear on the list of
those shortlisted due to what I will call “connection, godfatherism and
tribalism syndrome” which has become a social norm in Nigeria as far as
employment is concerned. If the Ondo Commissioner had selected us based
on merit, there is no way I would not be qualified since there was no
written test or oral interview."
“My surname, Okpoto, must have affected me because that was the name on
my credentials but having married a man from that state the Commissioner
should have considered me qualified. I regretted not applying through
the Delta State Commission as I would have been given the job then. The
most painful aspect of this experience was the refusal by the
Commissioner to give my husband, an indigene of the state, his
posting/appointment letter. Initially, his name was on the list but was
later short-changed with someone else known to the Commissioner.
“Another instance where tribalism and connection really affected me was
at the Lagos State Scholarship Board exam in 2004/2005. The then
governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had forwarded my application for oversea
scholarship to the board for immediate action. The Director of the board
(Mr. Badmus) told me that I was not born in Lagos because of my surname
(Okpoto). I told him I was born and bred in Lagos but he refused to
treat the letter. The institution abroad (Rochester Institute of
Technology), had awarded me scholarship for only tuition fee but I could
not raise funds to cover other expenses. Life is indeed full of
experiences but I will never give up."
“As noted above, a situation where political connection, godfatherism
and tribalism are used as yardsticks for recruitment is psychologically
and emotionally disturbing. Imagine the stress I passed through
traveling to Abuja from Ibadan with a seven-month old baby for the civil
service interview. This is too bad! But I believe that life goes on!
Things will change for the better now that President Muhammad Buhari is
making effort to sanitize the system. The Disability Rights Bill is long
overdue. The President should, please, assent to the bill to protect
the employment and fundamental rights of persons with disabilities."
“At the moment I am living with my husband and managing to work as
employee of Parent Teachers Association in a school in Ogun State. The
monthly take-home pay is meagre. But what more can I do? I have tried so
many places without any result. Everywhere I go, some people would ask
some funny questions like “you are from where?” “You do not look like a
Yoruba”, “Your father’s name is an Igbo name.” Deafness is another
barrier as the society does not want to employ deaf and disabled people.
They usually experience employment discriminations due to their
disability. But disability is not inability! There is nothing the deaf
cannot do. The only difference between us and our hearing counterparts
is our inability to hear which in my own case is partial. The society
especially employers of labour should know that deafness is not an
insurmountable barrier to success. I can teach. I can lead. I can do
mathematical calculations etc. What is more? Let the society try us
first and see what we can do.
“I can work in government ministries, agencies and parastatals as well
as private companies in administrative capacity. My computer skill is
also an added advantage. As a holder of first degree in Educational
Guidance and Counseling, I can provide counseling service for young
people. Apart from the university job, I can work in oil companies like
ExxonMobil or in telecommunication companies like GLO, MTN, Etisalat or
Airtel, in the area of computer operation, data processing and network
or in any other administrative duty that may be assigned to me."
“I am still searching for a good job and I am pleading with the
University of Ilorin management to help me. I don’t think the University
has abandoned me. I guess the new Vice Chancellor is not aware of the
fact that I served at the university and I am not sure if he received my
appeal letter. The former Vice Chancellor was working on my application
before his tenure ended in 2013, so I think the new Vice Chancellor in
the person of Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali should reopen my case as
regarding employment. I appreciate my parent/pastor Deacon Toye Afolabi,
Prof Alasehinde Williams, Prof. Omotosho, Prof Adegoke, Dr. Esere etc
for their efforts in assisting me."
“To be honest with you, having good job will make it possible for me to
achieve my goals and give back to society. It is my dream to become a
lecturer so with good job I will be able to save money to further my
education. I need to go back to school for my masters and PHD. I also
want to set up an NGO that will empower disabled people especially young
ones that are not educable to acquire vocational skills that will make
them self-reliant and to contribute meaningfully to the growth of their
fatherland rather than roaming the streets and begging for money. An
adage says: “if you give a child a fish, you feed him for a day. But if
you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. I want to assist
young people to have the financial muscles to feed themselves for a
lifetime. I also have a business plan in mind but there is no money to
get started. I believe with good job I can achieve all these.”
