Name: Ajayi Adeniyi Jeremiah

Admitted into the University of Lagos in 2012 to study Political Science.

Currently working at with the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.

It is hard to cope as a student being a blind person but the impact of the yearly programmes organised by UNILAG Counselling Unit eased my experience in the university. The programmes organised by the counselling unit was a platform where the university and Persons with Disability (PWD) meet to discuss how best to make the university conducive for persons with disability. While at the university, study materials were made available in various formats (audio, braille, Microsoft etc.) to aid the visually impaired students. In 200 level, I had a personal encounter with the University’s Counselling Unit seeking advice regarding my low academic performance. Few weeks after, the Counselling Unit provided me a laptop which greatly assisted me in my academics. By 2014 and 2015, I became the president of the association representing the visually impaired students on campus. During my time as the leader of this association, with the support of the university, we held various awareness programs on braille literacy and white cane (guide cane). We equally raised funds to buy laptop for some of our members. The Department of Political Science was exciting for me as it was a department for serious minded students. Many of the lecturers were friendly and ready to attend to you when you need their attention. Till date, I still have good personal relationship with some of my lecturers. With the skills I acquired in UNILAG from the various position of leadership and responsibility and my commitment to hard work, growth and excellence, I have been opportune to be part of the situation room of Lagos INEC during the 2019 general elections where I monitored the Braille guide policy for blind voters. I currently work with the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja and in 2020, I became a member of the Mandela Washington Fellow.

Coping as a blind person is tough but the University of Lagos, its Counselling Unit and supportive lectures eased my experience in the university. There were programmes organised for Persons with Disability (PWD) to discuss how best to make the university even more conducive. Study materials made available in various formats (audio, braille, Microsoft etc.) to aid the visually impaired students as well as Fund Raisers, financial and education tools provided for Person with Disability.