Some are left with no option than suicide, others felt the world is no longer a befitting place to live in after they lost their eyesight but indulgence in sports have created a new phase in the lives of students of the Vocational Training Centre for The Blind, reports ISRAEL AROGBONLO…
Blue House ’s Amaechi Chidinma bolted away from the starting point of the 50m race. Without a guide, as is the norm, Chidinma ’s legs pumped harder and harder on the tracks, her curly hair blown apart by the wind as she energetically increased her speed with every stride. In a flash , she had dashed past the finish line and into the officials, who acted as a stop for the athletes. But there’s just one ‘issue’: Chidinma is blind.
It is the same case for most of the students of the Vocational Training Centre for The Blind , Oshodi, Lagos, who converged on the Yaba College of Technology sports complex last Thursday for their 24th annual inter-house sports competition.
In a brief interview with one of the trainees who identified herself as Victoria Emezue said: “It was really great to be part of this eventful sporting festival.
The Red House Captain further added: “This platform has helped us to convert our visual disabilities into place of strength by unravelling our innate abilities. Quite a number of persons living with disabilities today have the mindsets of ‘I can’t do this, I can’t do that’ but we are here to prove to the world that ‘Yes, we can’.
The competition brought the geniuses in us and am proud to be part of it.”
One of the Sports Committee, Miss Demilade Lewis described the competition as fun and impactful.
“Wow! I feel elated to be part of this impactful sports competition. As you can see, we are having fun and so excited as well. Though my team did not come first in the contest, we are hopeful for a better performance next time (smiles).”
She further added: “The blue house came first in the overall categories of the competition with astonishing performances.”
The Principal of the institute, Mr. S. Nicholas Obot urged the government across all levels to continue to partner with them by meeting their needs in due time.
“Yes, visually impaired persons or special need persons needs sporting activities just like their able counterpart. Government should encourage them and make training facilities available in place for them and pay their trainers,” he said.
The Federal Nigeria Society for The Blind, which had Chief S .L Edu, Alhaji I .S Adewale and Dr G .A Ademola, as some of its founding fathers in 1955 , established the VTC in 1956 in Oshodi, Lagos, with the permission of Sir James Robertson, then the country’s Governor General.
The school, which has a two-year duration, is meant specifically for people who went blind in life and thus needed rehabilitation.
Since its establishment, the center has trained over 2000 blind men and women and assisted them to acquire skills in Braille Writing and Reading, Typewriting, Handicrafts, Telephone Switchboard Operation, Computer Operation, Mobility skills, Music, Tie and Dye and various crafts necessary for job placement and self-employment.
But last Thursday marked a new chapter in the lives of the students, as a large number of them had a first- time experience of competitive sports as visually impaired people.
From the march past to the races, skittle game, searching game and tug-of-war, each outstanding display was greeted with an ecstatic celebration by members of both houses, including other people with visual challenges, who came for the event.