Estimated reading time: 6 minute(s)
Peace Adedigba
Twenty years old, Maryam Umar from Gombe State who was with no arms has lamented that she felt bad that she could afford the registration fees after she gained admission .
Maryam who had 182 scores in the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examination and also had eight credits in National Examination Council (NECO) including Mathematics and English.
She said “It was a dream come true to have a score that could qualify me to have space with other undergraduates.”
Being the third child in the family and only one with this type of disability (born with no arms) among eight children who are physically okay (don’t have any deformity) said she wants to be a very successful businesswoman due to the change of everything.
Maryam whose father is a small scale farmer said she had no choice except going out to collect alms, saying, her elders siblings were farmer and Okada rider to make ends meet.
She said “I seriously don’t feel happy about it but, I feel it help me reduce some problem because I go out and see that people don’t stigmatise me. So I’m able to go around. I use the little money I get from begging for alms to buy little things within my capacity for myself. The ones I can’t do, my parents always help out.”
“While in primary school, I would say I want to be a banker but now everything has changed even the course I was given.
“I applied for Accounting but, I was admitted to study Economics. However, I’m still glad I have an opportunity to showcase that I am unlimited. I now want to become a very successful businesswoman.”
She however, assured that if she’s able to go to school, she will put an end to alms begging
“I will definitely stop begging if I am able to bgo to school. I have the abilities in my disability because there’s nothing I don’t do by myself. I wash my clothes, pick phone calls, dress myself, perform ablution (Islamic cleansing with water before prayers) even cook with my legs.
“I need the type of help that will make me to stand on my toe. University is not a small place; it is one of the schools where you spend so much money, especially someone like me with special needs. For instance, I can’t write on a desk because it’s too high for me. I need provision for a special seat.”
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
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