The Ordeal of a Nigerian blind boy as he graduates with a 4.44CGPA

My name is Ademola Adeleke,but sweet girls call me Demmy for short. I'm blind. Blinder than the bat. I'm a fresh graduate of Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; but that's not the news for the day. The news is that, in spite of being blind, I still graduated with 4.44 CGPA. Yes,
it's no fable, you can check it out in the photo attached to this post. Meanwhile, I'm not here to brag like some kid;
after all, three of my classmates made first class and I couldn't, but it will be my pleasure to take you through my
studentship at the university.

First of all, many nigerian universities have not the slightest provisions for visually impaired students, thus I had to deal with so many harsh conditions which in turn made my four years in the university tantamount to passing through NDA. No reading assistance, no special facilities, no audio materials, so I had to sort out my academic needs, all by myself. The deep gutters at every route on campus didn't make things easy at all. Some of them are damn wide and deep, and without covers, hence there were times when my leg would slip in and my clothes got pooed. Nigger gat rush back to the hostel to clean up or he will miss his lectures. But those are not even the most heartbreaking things I encountered while in school. Let me tell you what sometimes
made me to consider quitting.
Some attitude I get from lecturers. No, some lecturers, not all. Ohaja, Steve, Nwachukwu and a few more are also lecturers in my department, but never for once have they scoffed at me. Well, reverse is the case for some of them
which I wouldn't mention here. Oh ye reader, a lecturer has, on few occasions, yelled at me to find a blind university where my fellow blindos are. My heart bled that day. He said I was a pain in his neck just because I requested someone to help pen down an impromptu test while I dictate the answers. I felt like spitting on his burnt face, then exit the class and big goodbye to my dear university but I couldn't; I was brought up to respect the elders, plus I wouldn't want my parents, sacrifices on me to go down the drain just because of a lecturer harassing me, so I stifled the anger fuming in me. He said to me that day to find a university where I could cope but I took his words as a challenge. If anyone knows the way to his dungeon, tell him I didn't just
cope but also graduated as one of the best in my class. Over to this other lecturer who almost made me fail one of my degree exams. The instruction on the compulsory number one question was to draw a diagram, not a complex one though. Blind me, how could I ever do that with my eyes shut? Meanwhile, I don't go to the exam hall with a helper. I don't enjoy dictating answers for someone to help put down, it's not my thing. I only resort to that in the case of an impromptu test when my typewriter is not available. So I called the lecturer's attention immediately a friend hinted me about his arrival.
"Sir, this number one question requires a diagram and I can't draw it, but I can verbalise the diagram and explain what is supposed to be in the drawing"- I said, expecting the lecturer to welcome my innovative idea, but I was wrong; he walked up to my seat and started ranting. "See, I won't take anything that falls short of a diagram from you, I don't care how you want to do it"- he retorted and left. My heart bled again. I was demoralised. I couldn't continue with the exam as my eyes got teary. 'I know it's not anybody's fault that I'm
blind, but it's also not my fault', I sobbed invisibly.
So if anyone asks me the only challenge I faced in the university, I wouldn't think twice before mentioning the
attitude I get from some lecturers and also lack of provisions for the blind students by the university. University is stressful, university is very stressful, students will holler. Yes, it sure is, but I think the stress is a little stressed. Meaning, it's not as stressful as people say. And if it were to be a rally or protest,
claiming that studying in the university is indeed one hell of a stress, then I think I ought to be in the forefront with my placard raised above others.
My attendance at lectures was utterly dependent on friends and passers-by. It's either my friend called at my room to assist me to class or I found my way to the hostel exit to flag down passers-by. There were times when the person holding me would get nervous, perhaps it was his first time to guide a
blind person, hence losing control of my movement and making me stumble over shrubs and stones. Biko tell me
what other stress that surpasses being guided to your department every morning. No, that's not all. I read too, but not in the conventional way. I don't place a book in my front and gaze at the content to imbibe its lesson. I can't do that. I've got no sight to. Instead, I get a screenreader on my devices which will read out all the things displaying on the screen. I simply plug in my earpiece and listen. It's stressful; I mean, listening to a robotic voice for hours just to get what's in a textbook. It drives me nuts. And I have to be very attentive while listening or I will lose out on some points. If I had five textbooks to read, I will first of all get a scanner,
get a laptop, spend hours scanning the textbooks into my laptop and spend days to listen to the content of the books. If my lecturers don't give me soft materials? For where? I wan steal am ni? I'll have to do every bleeping thing myself just to access materials. It's fucking stressful. But I persevered. I didn't give up. My department is one that
will squeeze blood out of your veins with numerous assignments but it only taught me how to be tough. While my
roomies were sleeping at night, I was at the table solving one assignment or the other. Meanwhile, I'm not a bookworm. In fact, I'm someone who thinks education is overrated, but that
wouldn't stop me from seeking excellence in whatever that I find myself doing. Although I was committed to my studies, I also didn't fail to catch some mad fun. Go swimming on weekends, lodge with my baby, drink when need be etc. I'm so happy I've got this over with as this graduation from the university just launched me into a whole new struggle. We're done with the seats and marks struggle you know. And
I could remember a blind colleague telling me in my first year that no visually impaired student could ever make above 3.49 CGPA in my department as she had witness very intelligent blind students who couldn't break the jinx. Please after leaving my lecturer's dungeon, do well to also call at her house and tell her that I didn't just get above 3.49, I as well got close to first class. The moral is that you shouldn't allow to be discouraged, no matter what people say. Lest I forget, the date of birth in my name is a mistake by the university, I'm April 18, 1993 and not February 21, 1992. I wonder where they got that date of birth from.
Meanwhile, let me know if you will be coming for my convocation. I didn't plan to do anything before but because of some friends insistence on eating my rice, I've decided to prepare a small thing. It's not gonna be a big event, just a quiet get together and we'll end it. 08034449693, call me to inform me about your coming.

DEMOLA ADELEKE

Congratulations!!!