WHICH TATTOO IS MORE SUITABLE: speaker with a tiny x or muted microphone

Last week, I was surfing the internet as usual and I came across this news, a lady named Elisa Menzel shared a picture of her tattoo behind her left ear to let people know that she is Deaf in that ear, while the man shared a picture of his tattoo too, letting people know that he is Deaf.

The difference between their tattoos was that the lady used a tattoo of a speaker with a tiny X while the man went for a microphone option that’s the muted microphone. The lady said since 'Since I'm Deaf in one ear its a friendly (way) to tell the world not to talk to me from the left ear’.

A MEETING WITH THE SENATE PRESIDENT SAKARI

Some time ago, I was blogging about the Executive Director of the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), along with his experience. CCD and I have been advocating on different occasions.

A few weeks ago, the Executive Director and the teams wrapped up a meeting with the Senate President Saraki. With the second reading of the Bill for an Act for the Establishment of a National Commission for Persons with Disabilities in Dec 2015, the 8th Senate has demonstrated its resolve towards ensuring more access for Nigerians with Disabilities.

Moving forward, the Senate president promised to work with the CCD and other developmental partners to examine how they can strengthen the law for our countrymen and women with disabilities. Check it out: Facebook

JANE OTTAH WAS EXPELLED FROM UNIVERSITY BECAUSE SHE IS DEAF. Help Jane gets JUSTICE!!!

I thought it was a joke when someone said Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) expelled a student named Jane Ottah on the ground of health (deafness) in 2014 before I came across a letter as evidence from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology. I was shocked as their reason was that there was no special communication facilities (how reasonable is that?). Even if they didn’t have any special communication facilities, isn’t their duty to provide facilities? Isn’t their duty to see what they can do to better a Deaf student who has passed WAEC, UME, Post UME and finally being admitted?

IN RESPONSE TO THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT DEAF DRIVERS

I usually surf the internet in the morning to keep myself updated with news and I was crossing Linda Ikeji’s blog when an article caught my attention: a lady was telling about her experience in a Keke Napep driven by a Deaf driver, not that the title actually caught my attention, it was the comments coming from the readers that did, one named STERN said “How can a deaf man drive! this is very risky, This is how people use their own hands to kill themselves” and the rest of so many other negative comments too.. Someone identified as ANONYMOUS also said this: “Finally, a sensible comment, a deaf person driving is a hazard”. “Driving as a deaf person is really not safe. U cant hear d horns, meaning ur life n that of your passengers are in danger” and so many other endless comments.

President Mohammed Buhari (PMB) vs Disability Bills (DB)

There was a little drama during the last administration; there were a lot of struggles by people with disabilities, parents and friends of people with disabilities. We the disability advocates, human activists, lawyers, etc fought for the Disability Bills (DB) to be assented and in the National Assembly the senators also did us well by reading and passing the Disability Bills (DB)  to the table of the former President of Nigeria Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ), then our hope was up, some even went on to fast and pray for GEJ to finally assent the Disability Bills (DB), then the general election was approaching, some believed that he will assent the Disability Bills (DB)  before the commencement of the general election, some persons with disabilities even did the campaign for GEJ and helped in other areas but what happened? He didn’t assent, then after the elections, some persons with disabilities had faith that he will assent the Disability Bills (DB) before the power handover and then one day before the power handover to President Mohammed Buhari (PMB)’s administration, GEJ hurriedly passed six bills into law though some bills was left out but guess what again? Sadly amongst the bills left out was the Disability Bills (DB). We, persons with disabilities were disappointed, sad, depressed, angry and upset, just all kind of emotions you can imagine.

MR. DAVID O. ANYAELE'S 17th ANNIVERSARY OF LIMB-LOSS

It is my pleasure to introduce you to one of the strong disability advocates. His name is Mr. David O. Anyaele, he is the Executive Director of Center for Citizens with Disabilities and I am a volunteer advocate of his NGO. He has taught me a lot in advocating for Persons with disabilities and he has shown me ways to go and how to fight for the rights of persons with disabilities and today I can gladly say that with the experience I have acquired from him, I am able to fight for the right of persons in one or the other.

As he is celebrating the 17th Anniversary of his limb-loss, let’s join hands to congratulate and celebrate with him for what he has done for the disabled community and the impact he has created for the community too. He is sharing his experience on how he lost his hands to the RUF rebels of Sierra Leone because of his identity as a Nigerian and how it all happened in 1999. Enjoy reading his experience below:

The new president of Gallaudet University speaks on Americans for Disability Act

Minnesotan Bobbi Cordano is the new president of Gallaudet University, a private university for the deaf and hard of hearing in Washington, D.C, USA. She was formerly with the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation before she took over as the president of Gallaudet University. In a Star Tribune interview, she talks about maintaining state ties and challenges still facing people who are deaf and hard of hearing. Cordano, who is deaf, was formerly vice president of programs for the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation in St. Paul. She was also an assistant attorney general in Minnesota and an assistant dean at the Hubert Humphrey School for public affairs at the University of Minnesota. Her parents are both Gallaudet alumni. She took over the helm of the university January 1^st, 2016. The interview conducted, condensed and edited by Allison Sherry. Here is the transcript:

Q: With the Americans for Disability Act in its third decade, where do you still see it unenforced?

A: We continue to be denied access to full civic participation in our community, particularly in the area of employment. An ongoing issue relates to those who require ongoing accommodations, such as