8th March, 2012
True to his promise, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has offered three blind lawyers job in the state’s Ministry of Justice.
Fashola had, during his 1,600 days in office, promised to offer the job to the blind lawyers who asked the governor what the fate of physically challenged people was despite the fact that they were educated.
The three blind lawyers are Mubin Anomo, Salami Bolarinwa and Safiu Babatunde. They began their services at the Ministry of Justice as State Counsel.
P.M.NEWS met two of the blind lawyers at a bus stop in Alausa on Wednesday and they confirmed that the governor had given them jobs and that they were employed as State Counsel in the Ministry of Justice.
The elated lawyers thanked Fashola, saying he had changed their lives for the better for employing them against all odds.
Spokesperson of the trio, Mr. Salami Bolarinwa said they were elated because their lives had been changed even when there was no hope of getting a job in a world where there is discrimination against physically challenged persons.
He said he had no regret being blind but that he had a societal regret due to the high discrimination against them, adding that there were still many physically challenged people out there who had nothing to do.
Bolarinwa called on government at all levels to put something in place to ensure that physically challenged people were employed once they finished their education.
“We cannot drive like our able men who may not have job. Most of us resort to begging but if we are employed, we will be well off,” he said.
“We sincerely express our heartfelt appreciation to God Almighty and the state Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola. He has really showed that he is a man of honour. We commend him most and those who in one way or the other ensured the success and fulfillment of the promise,” he added.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga