Oye Art Gallery has emphasised the need for the inclusion of children with special needs in all spheres of society, to enable them showcase their talents and contribute to national development.

Speaking at the opening of Oye Art Gallery owned by a Special needs child Oye Adegbola, The Creative Director and Arts Instructor of the gallery, Asha Adedayo Samuel said the exhibition of art work created by Mr Oye was aimed at bridging the gap between persons with special needs and the wider society.

According to him , the exhibition seeks to challenge perceptions and highlight the unique contributions of individuals with special needs. “The goal of the exhibition is to bridge the gap between those with special needs and others in society. Everyone is special in their own way, and society would not be complete without them,” he stated.

The Creative director noted that the exhibition also serves as a platform to promote inclusivity in the arts industry, media, and other forms of creative expression.

Adedayo stressed that individuals with special needs have valuable contributions to make and should not be viewed solely as dependents. “They don’t only need our support; we also need what they have to offer. Just as they rely on us, we also rely on them in many ways,” he said.

Adedayo also called on government at all levels to support children with special needs through funding, promotion, and deliberate inclusion in programmes and appointments.

He stated that the artist has won several awards both locally and internationally and as it stands, Mr Oye is the first Artist in Nigeria with Specify needs.

He stated that the Oye Art Gallery provides a dedicated space for inclusive artistic expression and collaboration, adding that it can also serve as a venue for government-backed exhibitions and programmes.

The mother of the Artist Dr Eunice Adegbola expressed her joy over the opening of the gallery saying they were able to identify Oye’s talent when he was young and 16-years later they are happy to see how they have been able to support him.

She urged parents to endeavour to identify the area of strength of their special needs children irrespective of the shortcomings and work on it. “They should support them to acquire skills that will help them, everything is not about reading and writing .

The representative of the Director General of National Gallery of Art Emeka Odialu expressed the commitment of the NGA to provided all the needed support to special needs children in the country.