A blind graduate of Electricals and Electronics Engineering from Kaduna Polytechnic, Kamilu Suleiman, has said that the governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, and the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Suleiman Yusuf, have turned down his request over financial assistance to further his education.
Suleiman, a 32 year old indigene of Osun State, said he graduated from the Kaduna Polytechnic in 2012 and had his National Youth Service Corps in 2014 but currently interested in proceeding for higher degrees to obtain masters in electrical engineering.
He said he got a letter from the Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI) to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, in 2014 and another letter to the chief imam of Yorubaland, Mustapha Ajibade, and to the chief imam of his hometown seeking for assistance so as to achieve his life goals.
According to him, he dropped letter to the governor with his personal assistant, Alhaji Sikiru, but lamented that since 2014 when he dropped the letter till date, Governor Aregbesola has not spoken to him about his request.
He also said he spoke with the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Suleiman Yusuf, who, incidentally, is from his home town, with many promises of assistance but felt pained that the Deputy Speaker has stopped picking his calls.
Lasun, who emerged deputy speaker of the House of Representatives against the popular decision of the House, is representing Irepodun, Olorunda and Osogbo Federal Constituency of Osun State, whose home town the blind graduate hails from.
Also, Mr. Suleiman said he had sent a letter, through courier, to Shehu Sani, an activist who currently represents Kaduna Central in the Senate.
An indigene of Ilobu in Osun State, Suleiman, who went blind in 2012, was born and grew up in Kaduna State as the second son of seven children. He said for the failure of his state governor and the law makers to come his aid, he has decided to sell his kidney to further his education.
Mr. Suleiman said, “Frustration is what brought the idea of my readiness to sell one of my kidneys just to get money to sponsor my education. I really want to be useful to the society. I don’t want the effort of my parents to go in vain”.
He said he lost his sight in 2012 when he was diagnosed of Glaucoma at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna in 2009 but finally lost his eyes in 2012.
“I was supposed to graduate in 2012 but because of a carryover I got in one subject, I went for my NYSC in year 2013 and finished in year 2014.
“I was posted to Plateau State but requested for redeployment back to Kaduna due to my condition. After I became completely blind I decided to live with a friend to avoid my parents seeing me in this condition because I don’t like seeing them worried.
“So I’m appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to help me with a job or scholarship to further my education. I have applied to various media organizations seeking for job but I didn’t hear anything positive.
“My effort to look for somebody to sponsor my Masters’ program didn’t yield result. I just want to further my education so as to be useful to society and help others in my condition too. My parents don’t have the money and I don’t to be a burden on them,” he said.
