NAIDD urges Nigerians to encourage sports people with disabilities

The National Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities ‎has organised a one-day sensitisation programme in Lagos to raise awareness on the need to support special people and encourage them to participate in sports.

The walk and aerobics initiative held at the National Institute Of Sports (NIS) ground inside the National Stadium, Surulere, served as a platform for special people to exhibit talent and display their abilities. They were introduced to such sports as athletics, football and badminton.
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According to Mrs. Foni Adekola, an executive member of the National Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the sensitisation programme was borne out of passion for people with disabilities.

“‎As professional care givers and parents, we need to speak for the special people and sports is very important for these children. They are very active and restless and sport is a veritable tool that will make them useful. I can tell you that 98 per cent of them are interested in sports because they need to channel their energy into something positive. Apart from sports, they can also do other vocation.”

The association urged government to come to the aid and create sports facilities for special people to make them useful. ‎