Place of Liberty: Ex-Deputy Gov Urges Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities

Funmi Ogundare 

The Place of Liberty School for Special Needs Children weekend, marked its fifth anniversary with the celebration of remarkable progress among its pupils, including some who have transitioned from being dependent on others to acquiring vocational skills and earning income.

Speaking at the fifth anniversary of the school and second anniversary of its vocational school in Lagos, the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan, called for greater support and inclusive education for children living with disabilities, urging parents, schools, organisations and individuals to help them develop their talents and contribute meaningfully to society.

She stressed the need for public and private schools to create inclusive classrooms where children with disabilities could learn alongside other children and be treated as equal members of society.

According to her, “No amount is too small” to support initiatives providing education, care and vocational opportunities for children with special needs, noting that such programmes require substantial funding to remain sustainable.

Sosan said: “We should even have inclusive sections in our public schools, so that they don’t see them as outcasts. They should see them as part of them. So we create inclusive classrooms.”

She also appealed to private and public schools to accept children with disabilities and provide teachers equipped to meet their educational needs.

The former deputy governor expressed concern that some parents still hide children with disabilities because of societal attitudes, urging them instead to bring them out and give them opportunities to discover and develop their abilities.

Sosan said she was particularly moved by the progress of one of the school’s beneficiaries, Toma Onu, whom she said she had known during her time in office.

She recalled celebrating her birthday annually with children at Modupe Cole Memorial School and described Onu as talented, outspoken, confident and creative.

According to her, seeing Ono again after losing touch with her over the years, and learning about her educational achievements, was emotional and inspiring.

“She did not put herself down and did not accept disability as the end of life,” Sosan said, adding that Onu’s words at the event would serve as motivation to other children at the school.

She noted that children with disabilities were full of life, particularly emphasising their love for dancing and singing.

“They don’t want pity. They want love. You give them love, you get everything from them,” she said.

Sosan also commended Place of Liberty for providing its services free of charge, noting that caring for children with special needs required significant financial resources.

She urged churches, individuals, corporate organisations and other institutions already supporting similar initiatives not to relent despite the economic and social challenges facing the country.

“We should just continue, in spite of the challenges of the society today. We should still continue to do our best to support these children,” she said.

A board member of the school, Soji Oluwole, said the transformation recorded by the children over the years demonstrated the importance of providing special needs children with professional care, education and an enabling environment.

According to him, some of the children who enrolled in the school could neither walk nor speak independently but had made significant progress through specialised training and therapy.

He said: “For those who would have understood the journey of these children, you will know and see that they have really improved in their lives. These were children who needed assistance. These were children who couldn’t do anything on their own.”

Oluwole explained that the school was professionally managed, with speech therapists, physiotherapists and specialists providing assistance, while teachers were trained in the Montessori approach for special needs education.

He added that the school conducts periodic assessments of both the children and their parents to monitor the pupils’ progress in school and at home.

Giving examples of the transformation, Oluwole said one of the pupils, Masida, who could not previously utter a word, had become a talkative child, while another pupil who once had to be carried home from the school bus stop could now walk home with assistance from her sister.

He said the school’s vocational programme was established to prepare the children for life beyond the institution by equipping them with skills that could enable them to become self-sufficient.

“Because the whole idea is that at some point in time, they have to leave the school, and we want to put them in a position where they can be self-sufficient, no matter how little, making a living for themselves,” he stated.

The board member disclosed that the progress had gone beyond training, as at least two former pupils were now working part-time at the school and earning income.

He identified one of them as a minder and another as working in the kitchen.

He expressed hope that more of the children who develop the required capacity would eventually become part of the school’s workforce, arguing that those who had experienced special needs education themselves could make effective teachers and mentors.

“There is no better person to teach than the person who has gone through it,” he said.

The Guest Speaker, Ms Toma Unu, urged persons living with disabilities to discover their abilities, develop their talents and remain determined to fulfil their purpose in life.

Unu, who spoke on the theme, ‘Ability in Disability’, at the event, said disability should not prevent anyone from making meaningful contributions to society, stressing that every individual has unique abilities that can be developed and showcased.

She stated: “As long as you have the ability, you have the opportunity to showcase your talent. We need people to see that there is ability in disability and see the bright side of life.”

Born with cerebral palsy, she said her life had been a journey marked by different challenges, but expressed gratitude to God for His faithfulness, love and grace.

According to her, while some people may pass through rough paths in life and others through smoother ones, the challenges they encounter should not determine the extent of their achievements.

She recalled that a reverend sister introduced her to painting, describing the experience as a significant turning point in her life. 

She noted that the cleric, who died in 2016, had helped her discover an ability she could develop and use to express herself.

Unu commended individuals who had recognised and supported her abilities as well as those of other persons with special needs, saying such encouragement could make a significant difference in their lives.

She urged persons living with disabilities to remain determined, love themselves and avoid comparing their lives with those of others.

“You have a purpose for life,” she said, urging them to focus on their strengths and engage in activities that would leave a positive legacy.

Earlier in her remarks, the School Administrator, Mrs Olufunke Lipede, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to equipping children with special needs with practical skills that will enable them to become increasingly independent and productive members of society.

She said the school, which also provides free education for indigent children, was established on the belief that every child, regardless of their needs, possesses unlimited potential.

According to her, the five-year journey has been marked by challenges and uncertainties, but the progress recorded by the children remained a source of encouragement to the school.

“Serving children with special needs requires deep patience, faith and unconditional love. We have faced moments of uncertainty, but in our halls, progress isn’t measured by speed. Every small step is a victory, every breakthrough is a miracle, and every child is a living testimony of God’s grace,” she said.

Lipede noted that the school’s achievements would not have been possible without the dedication of its staff and volunteers, led by the Head Teacher, Mr. Jimmy Adams, as well as the contributions of donors.

She said the support received from donors had helped provide therapy, feeding, vocational tools and a safe environment for the children.

“You haven’t just funded a school; you have restored dignity by investing in lives and helped create possibilities where others may have seen limitations,” she said.