The closest public school was 5 kilometers, much too far to crawl, so I did not attend. But my life changed completely when my uncle gave me a wheelchair when I was 19. I remember that wonderful day very well. I started back to school in 4th grade and had my hope, dignity, and self-worth restored.
That is part of the reason I am moved to do what I do now with Wheelchairs for Nigeria; I know that if you’ve been affected by polio or any other crippling disease, a wheelchair can restore hope and turn around your life. When I watch someone receive a wheelchair from our organization I look into their eyes and see joy and the restoration of hope.
Over the last 10 years we’ve given away more than 3,000 wheelchairs. The people who have received wheelchairs have gone back to school or learned a trade and are actively engaged in their communities.
I feel good about the work we have done, but would really like for there to be no need for our wheelchairs at all. Nigerians have made a tremendous effort to combat polio. People are working on immunization campaigns in their communities, in their churches – everywhere.
Growing up in my village we would hunt for birds with our slingshots. Sometimes we would aim at a bird, shoot and miss. We’d say, “Oh! I nearly got it!” and would celebrate. An elder told us, “Nearly does not kill the bird. You have to hit the bird and that is when you should celebrate.”
If the global community stops when we have eradicated 99 percent of polio, the disease will return and we’ll move backwards. So, when it comes to polio, “Nearly does not kill the bird.”
The global fight against polio is one of the largest, most ambitious internationally coordinated health initiatives in history. It has mobilized millions of volunteers around the world. Today, polio eradication is within reach. We must sustain the tempo so that polio can finally be eradicated.
We have to be able to say we eradicated polio 100 percent...not that we almost eradicated polio.