~For 3 years I was in School but yet unregistered, as my parents refused to give consent.
~ I begged to pay my school fees.

36 year old Babangida Yahaya Kundulum, from Kundulum district, Garuko ward, Akko local government of Gombe state. A former pump operator and an admin staff of Gombe state water board, has been through alot in life as a result of his inability to walk. He told Chima Azubuike, how despite the challenges he has continued to forge.
How did you break academic barrier?
I attended Kundulum primary school from 1990-1996, I got admission into Junior Secondary school Dadinkowa, but because of the distance and financial difficulty I did not proceed. I wrote another examination the following year, I got another admission into Government Art secondary school but finance once again was stumbling block. It was until 1999 that the headmaster of my primary school gave me money, bought uniform for me to enroll at Government Arabic secondary school, formerly Arabic teachers college. I rounded off secondary school in 2005 but due to poor O'levels I could not proceed.I wrote SSCE about four to five times, Jamb three times. However, at two separate occasions I scored above 200 and 192. I finally secured admission to Federal college of Education Technical, Gombe to studied Business Education and Accounting. I'm civil servant with Gombe water board, I was employed as a pump operator.
At what point in life did you lose your ability to walk?
It was at the age of 3 years that I lost the ability to walk as a result of Polio Meningitis. My parents ran every where in search of solution. Because of the level of education then, they thought It was caused by spiritual forces. So their major focus was not hospital but spiritual homes, they approached mallams for help wasting money instead of seeking proper medical help. My parents sold their sheeps and goats to realize money to give me back my leg but all to no avail.
How did your situation affect you ?
It affected me big time, no doubt about that. At the age of 3 when a child is about kick starting his active years, I was always miffed watching my mates running from place to place, doing "Langa" uplift of leg which is a local game and I can't participate.
How did it deprive you of your childhood?
The terrain of my community is not a friendly one at all. I joined primary school at the age of 10 years . I was the oldest pupil in the class because I joined late, but I had begged my parents to register me in school from the age of 5 but they refused because some people prevailed on them not to do that, that there were so many fit people that had gone to school but do not have job placement why waste their resources on someone who is not even able. So at the age of 10 years I took myself to school but for 3 years, I was moving myself to any class I liked because I was not registered in any as their is a rule of someone must stand in for you as your parent or guardian but no one was forthcoming.My parents had declined to be part of my education. It was the headmaster of Kundulum primary school having asked about me and he was told my situation that registered my name as a primary 3 student, thereby compensating me, for my years of idling in the school.
How did your colleagues receive you after your formal registration?
I was well received, I had been part of them although as an informal student. We played together, oftentimes I served as a goalkeeper. Many of them rushed to sit with me, you know talent and intelligence is synonymous with people living with disability. I came first position at different times. The headmaster registered me once again into secondary school paid #250 and got uniform for me but I paid my fees henceforth using begging, as a boarder I come out every Saturday to a unique spot where I begged to pay fees, feed as a student, even while I was in primary school that was the method I applied to get funds to pay my fees and to feed.
So how did you get your Wheelchair?
I got it in 1997 through the wife of the first military administrator of Gombe state Mrs Florence Orji. My headmaster (Mallam Garuba Jauro) wrote a letter to ministry of women affairs then under ministry of information to sponsor my education, but one day I was called to come and take the wheelchair, so instead of sponsoring my education they gave me means of movement.
What was your childhood ambition?
Smiles.. Was to be a Lawyer . You know that once you become a lawyer you will know your right, uphold and protect the rights of others.Most importantly as a lawyer you will be self employed, whether or not you are employed by government, private company you will survive. My O'level result was a major challenge, in 2012 I got admission into University of Maiduguri to study English but I wouldn't accept it because of my results.

What were the stigmas you encountered?
About two years ago, I had a girlfriend but her friends and family said to her what will you do with this person. She always told me of their perception about me but unfortunately she called off the relationship she is now married to someone else.
While I was in Federal college of Education, Technical I had a lecturer who deliberately fixes his class in the 3rd floor. So I used to climb to the 3rd floor for class regularly. On one certain occasion a lecturer colleague asked him to consider this young man and fix his lecture down stairs but to my surprise the lecturer replied with " this is not a special school, there are special schools. I did not mind all I wanted was to get knowledge and get good grade. Unfortunately, the terrain of my vicinity caused me a carryover, we have a lecturer taking us through international economics, he had a policy of No late entry to my class. sadly, rain began to fall early in the morning from 5am and the lecture starts at 8 am, I had his assignment to submit, upon getting to the stream at 6:30 am, no one to push me across the stream to the other side of the road so that I can meet up. Since there was no help whatsoever I had to use an alternative route at about 7:20 but that one is farther.I finally got to class at past 8am, he refused to accept the assignment and that meant I have no Continuous Assessment, an automatic failure.
In seeking employment, most times when you go to certain offices to be employed as a person with disability. The boss in that establishment will send his messenger to offer you #50 with the believe that you came to beg, without listening to know why you came.
When I go to the market to buy things traders used to think one came to beg without knowing you came to buy things.
As a person living with disability, do you get preferential treatment?
Where I enjoyed a lot of that was as a student. Usually when the class is rowdy, and the headmaster comes to marshal punishment they will ask me to do something else. A vivid example was my primary 4 a particular teacher came to punish the entire class, he asked everyone to do frog jump, I told him I can't do it, so he gave me two stones to lift while seated (smiles). In secondary school the same noise making a teacher came to punish the entire class but he spared me. During labour days in secondary school when students cut grasses am usually told not to participate.
I was employed in the water board as pump operator but when the General Manager saw me, he wondered why I was placed in such a demanding place, as someone with disability we were told not to say we can't, so I told him I can but later I was moved to the headquarter in the administration department.
How did you get the state government job?
Like I mentioned, I used to beg right from primary to secondary school after my graduation in 2005, I went to several offices in need of job. I went to water cooperation now water board and I was told to drop my credentials which I did it was in 2 months time that I was called to start as a casual worker before I was promoted to junior staff because I was employed as SSCE holder, the reason was that as someone with NCE certificate it was not possible to use such certificate in the organization as it should be in education setting but there are no such opportunities.
Do you encounter deprivation of any kind at work?
No, I have never being deprived. We work together towards achieving a common good. However, in my community I can remember during 2015 elections, the village head of Kundulum, enlisted me amongst Five persons that should be trained by INEC as they requested. But amongst the selected persons they decided to go without me, when they got to INEC they said he was coming, they made another arrangement included someone else that was how I was removed from that opportunity.
What are some of the important lessons your condition has thought you?
It has thought me that immunization is important and should be encouraged. I will always encourage as many pregnant women to go for antenatal care. It has also thought me that there is enormous strength in disability as it is not a death sentence, but one that propels an inner strength.
How did you meet your wife?
My wife is also a person living with disability. She is Hajiya Zainab Muhammad Aliyu, she is 18 years old . I met her in this centre during one of the workshops organized for blind and cripple.
What are some of your best moments in life?
My graduation from Federal College of Education, Technical is my best moment in life. I graduated with upper credit, I'm the only graduate in my family. I have made myself and family members proud despite their lack of confidence in my success.
What are your main target?
I intend to further my education, obtain a degree, masters and even a doctorate. I hope to assist as many persons as possible living with disability. Educate as many parents as possible on the importance of educating their children living with disability.
Challenges so far?
Mobility is a great challenge, there are places that are not wheelchair friendly. Just a few engineers put this into consideration that there are persons living with disability and the need to create their own pathway to ease their movement. There are a lot of such unfriendly buildings around .

We all have stories to tell..... The end is what justifies the means