In a world where many physically challenged persons feel redundant and helpless, a visually impaired man, Adebayo Muritala, has been thriving in his chosen textile career.
While many other people who are afflicted with blindness easily take to begging to earn a living, Muritala is an employer of labour and has been living comfortably.
For Muritala, a resident of Osun State who is married with children, he has never for once seen his visual impairment as an obstacle to his greatness, noting that the disability even propelled him to be the best he does.
“In all situations, I have learned to thank God. Yes, I am visually impaired but I am mentally and physically alert. I do my best to overcome what others see as challenges and God has been helping me.
“As you can see, I make and sell Adire materials. This is one of the things that my situation propelled me to do. I can say I am the best in what I do and all I need is business partnership to enable me to do better,” he said during a chat with The Point.
Muritala is one of the beneficiaries of the Community Social Development Agency in Osun State. CSDA is responsible for caring for the poor and physically challenged in the state.
He disclosed that he has been involved in Adire production at one of the rehabilitation centers of Osun CSDA.
While thanking the state government and management of CSDA for the empowerment, the businessman called on Nigerians and particularly the government to patronise his Adire material, which he claims can compete with any other clothing material in the world.
He noted that local Adire fabrics can compete with any foreign fabrics, adding that people with disabilities are capable of competing with their able-bodied counterparts.
Muritala, known for tie and dye in Osogbo town, solicited assistance from the state government to produce more Adire clothes to help with the payment of salaries for workers in the Disability Village.
He said, “If the government can assist us with a grant, we would be able to produce Adire in larger quantities, which will help us pay the salaries of workers in the Disability Village.”
While declaring that his Adire products can match any fabrics in Nigeria and across the world, Muritala hinted that his physical ability and capability have endeared people to him.
According to him, those who think that physically challenged individuals should be chastised in society are mistaken; instead, they need encouragement from both the government and the public.
“There is ability in disability. I am blind but I am into Adire production. You can see some of my products here, and people have been commending my Adire works,” he stated.
He urged media professionals to give him adequate publicity so that wealthy individuals, government officials, politicians, philanthropists, and others can patronise his works.
