Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Jibrin Diso is a professor of Special Education in Bayero University, Kano.
He was struck blind at his prime by circumstances beyond human explanation. But instead of his new status to slow him down, it was a motivation for him to get to the highest level of his career.
As the first blind professor in Nigeria, the road to stardom was not without thorns.
He had the challenges of infrastructural deficiency. First, it was difficult for him to source information. Second, the use of brail for the blind was scarcely available.
In spite of these challenges, he was determined to study through masters and Ph.D level after his first degree in sociology.
Amazed by his doggedness and single-mindedness, Innoson Motors on October, 25 gave him a car – IVM Ikenga 2020 – award.
According to the representative of Innoson Motors, Mr Joe Onybuenyi, the company gave him the award via a raffle draw conducted at the 18th Joint Planning Board and National Council on Development Planning meeting at Asaba, Delta State.
In this interview with Sunday Sun, the professor narrated his rough road to stardom, expressing happiness for the car.
Journey of life
I was born in Kano in 1957 and I attended my normal primary school at Bandevor Primary School. We started with the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind in 1962 where they taught us so many things. Later, we were distributed to Bendovor Primary School where I did my primary. After I finished my primary school I stayed at home for a while because they did not have the idea of teaching the blind. Not until when I went to the school of the blind, I went to the school of brailing which involved the using of our hands to read brail. I learnt it and I learnt type-writing and came back and finished my upper secondary school at Redeemed Teachers’ College where I finished with success. I even won a price there. After that I taught at Tudun Wada School for the Blind. After a while, I went back to Bayero University where I did my School of General Studies where I did my degree programme and I passed out from Bayero University in 1986. I went for my NYSC in 1987. After that I taught for a while and then went back to the university and did my part-time in teaching. After my teaching, the university employed me from 1990 till date. I did my first degree in sociology, the second degree in education. In my masters and Ph.D I was able to attend the University of Birmingham. I came back and Bayero University employed me and I have been lecturing since then. I started teaching from 1993 till date.
Were you intimidated by your normal classmates?
All my classmates were normal and all my students are normal as well. Everybody likes me and wants to work with me. They want to give me any assistance that I require. So, I don’t have any problem with the people.
What are your challenges
The challenges I had was that while I wanted to go for examination, they have to call or they had to brail. Because they don’t have brail I always recorded my programmes and listened to the questions and I answered them by typing the questions. That is all. Right from the non-academic to the academic everybody wants to give me the assistance that I required.
What about your lecturers?
Believe me. My lecturers want to work with me and I want to work with them. I work seriously and tirelessly with all my lecturers.
As a lecturer, what are your challenges?
Before I learnt how to use the Internet, I had problems. Now, I know how to use the Internet and source my information. I have no problem with anybody. The only thing I have is that I am now willing to have my own personal computer which I can be using to source my information. Now, in Bayero University I have computer for the blind in the library where I do my research with.
As the first blind professor, when did you become blind?
I became blind when I was two years. So, it is almost as if I was born like this. I grew up as a blind and so it’s almost as if I was born like this.
What motivated you to go to school instead of begging?
My father, he was the one who paid my school fees. He was the one who took me to places where blind persons could go. Along the line I was able to do it and I stayed among the so-called normal people. All my classmates were normal. I was the only blind person in my class. From primary school, two of us were in the same class; myself and one Musa Karda. As time went on when I started my secondary school I was the only blind person in my class. All my colleagues are very much willing to read my text on tape before I would go and type on brail.
What is your department in Bayero University?
I am lecturing in Special Education Department. I was once the secretary of Joint National Association for the Blind.