What is it like studying in Nigeria while living with a disability or chronic illness?
LECTURERS GAVE ME SUMMARY NOTES
I haven’t been stigmatised because I rarely tell or show that I’m sick.
MISSED CLASSES DUE TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
I used to be a basketball player, but I stopped because I’m easily fatigued.
MOVING THROUGH CAMPUS WITHOUT HELP IS HARD
I had lived with partial blindness since childhood, but complete loss was a different story.
THERE ARE BARELY ANY RAMPS ON CAMPUS
The distance between classes is far, and they require the use of a staircase.
I SET OUT FOR CLASSES TWO HOURS IN ADVANCE
My effort has helped me maintain a good academic record.
I AM JUST SICK, I DIDN’T KILL ANYBODY
There’s no backup if you miss classes.
NO STRUCTURES IN PLACE FOR STUDENTS LIKE ME
I prefer to use hospitals off campus rather than the school clinic.
USED MY FEES TO PAY FOR TREATMENT
Even academics and reading, which used to be my solace, became a battlefield.
I FEEL OVERLOOKED IN CLASS
The university could do more to support visually impaired students like myself.