Professionals, parents, disability advocates, Rotarians and stakeholders from across the public and private sectors gathered at Palacio Events Centre, Port Harcourt, for the launch of The Road No One Plans , a new book by special educator, behaviour analyst, autism professional and parent advocate Daisy Jonathan.

The event attracted guests from diverse professional backgrounds and industries, alongside parents of children with additional needs, educators, therapists, healthcare professionals, business leaders, community representatives, trainees and other supporters of disability inclusion. A substantial virtual audience also joined the event from within and outside Nigeria, extending the conversation beyond the walls of the venue.

More than a conventional book launch, the event became an evening of reflection and discussion about disability, parenting, education, inclusion and the realities families face while raising and planning for children with different needs and abilities.

The event was anchored by veteran broadcaster Segun Owolabi, who guided the programme and conversations throughout the evening.

One of the highlights was an extensive review of The Road No One Plans by Engr. David Obiga. Rather than providing a brief overview, Obiga took the audience through the substance of the book, capturing its major messages from page to page while interjecting with personal lived experiences that brought several of its themes into sharper focus.

The programme also featured reviews, comments and goodwill messages from stakeholders within Nigeria and internationally. Contributors included Dr Mudi Nwachukwu, Chair of SENTe Nigeria, and Remi Olutomayin, a voice-over artist and autistic adult, whose perspective reinforced the importance of including autistic voices in conversations about autism, support and inclusion.

Professionals, mentees and trainees of Mrs Jonathan from across Africa, America and Asia also contributed messages and reflections, demonstrating the reach of her work in professional training, special education, behaviour support and capacity development.

Several participants described the gathering as much more than a celebration of a new publication. For many, it was an eye-opener and a reminder of the collective responsibility to create communities, schools and services that are genuinely inclusive and supportive of people with different needs and abilities and their families.

Members of the audience shared their own experiences and perspectives, with speeches and contributions repeatedly returning to the need for greater understanding, practical support and long-term planning for children and adults with disabilities.

A Book Born from Lived and Professional Experience

The Road No One Plans explores a journey that thousands of families begin without preparation: discovering that a child may develop, communicate, learn or experience the world differently from what had been expected.

Drawing from both lived experience and more than two decades of work in education and disability services, Jonathan addresses the emotional and practical realities families may encounter, including diagnosis and the absence or delay of diagnosis, navigating therapies and interventions, education choices, relationships, siblings, finances, family life and the often difficult question of what happens as the child grows into adulthood.

A particularly important focus of the book is long-term planning. It challenges families, professionals and society to look beyond childhood interventions and consider adulthood, independence, supported living, meaningful participation, relationships, employment and quality of life.

Rather than presenting families with an idealised version of the special needs journey, the book combines personal experience with professional knowledge to provide practical guidance while acknowledging that every family’s circumstances and every individual’s needs are different.

Its central message is that supporting a child with different needs should not rest solely on the shoulders of parents. Schools, professionals, healthcare systems, communities, policymakers and society all have a role in creating the conditions in which children and adults with disabilities can participate, develop their capabilities and live meaningful lives.

From Book Launch to Community Impact

The launch also generated practical support beyond the event itself. Donations were received and copies of the book were sponsored for distribution to support groups, schools and hospitals across Nigeria, helping to take the book’s message to parents, educators and professionals who may not otherwise have access to it.

The initiative reflects Jonathan’s wider emphasis on translating advocacy into practical action through education, professional development, parent support and service provision.

Daisy Jonathan is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), QBA, IBA and UKSBA-Cert behaviour analyst, special educator, autism diagnostic assessor, trainer, consultant, parent coach and disability advocate. She has worked in education, autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, behaviour support and professional training for more than two decades.

She is the founder and director of organisations including Pleasant Places Schools, The Heritage Place Therapy Learning and Care Centre, Pleasant Places Training Academy and Pleasant Places SENtre UK, through which she works with children and young people, families, educators and other professionals.

She is also the founder of Warrior Mums Africa, a community that has provided connection and support to mothers raising children with different needs across several countries.

Jonathan’s professional work is closely intertwined with her experience as the mother of an autistic young person, giving her writing a perspective that moves between the parent’s home, the professional consultation room, the classroom and the wider systems families must navigate.

She is also the author of Help That Child and Teach That Child, publications centred on helping parents, educators and professionals better understand and teach children with different needs and abilities.

The Port Harcourt launch of The Road No One Plans ultimately became a call extending beyond the pages of the book: to listen more carefully to families and disabled people, to plan beyond childhood, and to move from talking about inclusion to building communities in which people of different abilities are genuinely supported to belong, participate and thrive.