Inclusivity in Sports: NANVIS Unilag Advices Sensitization and Partnership

By Charles Maduka

The National Association of Nigerian Visually Impaired Students (NANVIS) Unilag chapter has said that lack of sensitization and partnership are important elements influencing limited participation of visually impaired students in sporting activities on campus.

In an interview with Unilag Sun, Mr. Seyi Ajibade, the president of the association, disclosed that lack of awareness and sensitization is a key factor preventing students with disabilities from participating in sporting activities in UNILAG.

“The university is not aware that we engage in sports. In our secondary schools, we pushed for inclusion in sports, that is why we had blind race, football, and so on. But in the university, it’s different,” he said.

Mr Ajibade advocated more consultation and partnership with disability clusters, in order to effectively involve students with disabilities in future sporting events. 

“If our sighted counterparts from other universities are coming for these sporting competitions, the university can reach out to the disability clusters of these universities, and ask them, what sport can you participate in? And they can now include us,” he said.

“Blind people for instance are athletic! We can run, we play football, and even indoor games like chess, ludo, and so on. If we have the right human and material facilities, this are something we can do very well,” he added.

The president commended the university for always listening to their ideas and suggestions. “I want to appreciate the university for always giving us a listening ear, because any time we carry them along with any of our sporting events and otherwise, they always listen to us.” 

Mr. Victor Ajani, who is the sports director and the vice president of the association, pointed out that time management is another significant factor preventing sports participation amongst the visually impaired students. 

“The school has provided most of the facilities we wrote to them about, such as; a goal-ball field, a 5-aside pitch, and so on. All we need is for the management of the sport center to infuse us into their schedule and we can work with whatever time they give us for our training.”

Mr. Ajani pointed out that their members are also unwilling to participate in sporting activities. 

“It’s not about providing sports facilities and games! Who will participate?” he remarked. “We cannot be asking for items and equipment, when we know that our members are not interested. The management has been fair to us in this aspect. Our members are just not willing to participate.” 

He added that due to the “robust relationship” the association enjoys with the management of the sports center, their request for sports activities would be granted. “All we just need to do is to inform them prior to our programs and they will do the needful,” he said.