Ambassador Onome Otueroro addressing participants during the meeting
By Francis Odupute
A meeting for all parents of children with cerebral palsy, down syndrome, autism e.t.c., care givers and special teachers was held in Benin City on 30th August, 2025.
The strategic meeting which started around 3:05pm at the premises of FONWIP, on 45, Owina Street, off Sokponba Road, Benin City, Edo State had many parents, caregivers, special school heads and other key stakeholders in attendance.
The main agenda of the meet up included compilation of lists for free assistive devices for IDD children; free registration of children and parents for government intervention and support; recent calls on support for IDD children and responses from stakeholders.
Addressing participants at the meeting, Ambassador Onome Otueroro, the Edo State Coordinator of
Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of Nigeria (AIDDN), detailed the key challenges faced by children with intellectual developmental disabilities in Edo State and sued for parents of children with intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD), teachers, caregivers and other stakeholders to come together and build a strong force and a united voice for IDD children.
He explained: “In the Persons With Disability (PWD) world, the persons with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are the most relegated clusters. We have different clusters in the PWD world -we have the visually impaired; the physically challenged – that’s those that walk with clutches and wheelchairs; the hearing impaired; the spinal cord; the albinism; the dwarf; and other clusters in the PWD world.”
Ambassador Onome lamented that awareness about the IDD children only about 7% , arguing that “There will be strong awareness when we join forces together.”
He said, “I have had link with the Edo State Commission for PWD – the Disability Commission- the Commission has been established, which is our joy… it will be in charge of all PWDs, including our children with IDD, but they cannot do anything for us until we’re well represented, well organized. All those clusters that are well-known are well-known because they’re well organized.
“In politics, number matters. Also, in this one, number matters. If we’re to see people in government, number matters. If today we say, okay, AIDDN, we want to see the governor, and we now see only five people, it shows we’re not serious and they won’t listen to us because we’re going to be making demands when we meet these people.”
The AIDDN Edo State Coordinator informed that an ongoing call by the national body for parents who need free assistive devices for their children to indicate their interests.
“If you know that you have not yet submitted any requests for an assistive device for your child – the type you know your child needs – please let me know! The national office is still compiling the list of those who need assistive devices for their children, so we have a chance to still add to our list in Edo State.”
Responding, the immediate past chairman of NACEP and current HM of the Edo State Special school, told AIDDN Edo State Chapter to strengthen its ties and collaboration with the Edo State Special School for better visibility and help in future. He encouraged parents of children with Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) not to hide their children or be ashamed of them.
Also responding, Major Imeh of the Salvation Army, Edo State, told the conveners that if Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) is a recognized cluster in Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD) they should make their presence and impact felt in JONAPWD so that the cluster can be well-represented to access benefits from Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD) from time to time.
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