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At the Intersection of Gender and Disability
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Meet DJP Fellow Oluwabukolami Omolara Badmus
June 26, 2021
Oluwabukolami Omolara Badmus is a 33-year-old disability rights activist and feminist based in Lagos, Nigeria. She is both the financial secretary and Lagos state coordinator for the Lionheart Ability Leaders International Foundation (LALIF).
LALIF’s mission is to generally “educate, enlighten, and empower the people on issues related to persons with disabilities, women and children, among others.” Badmus is also an educator, teaching at a government/public high school.
Since 2019, part of LALIF’s major organizational focus has been on people with Usher syndrome, a condition that causes DeafBlindness. After realizing how little Nigerian citizens know about the syndrome and those who live with it, Badmus is now actively involved in educating people, from government officials to educators, about it.
Badmus was born in Ibadan in 1988. She grew up in Ondo State, but her native home is located in Osun State. She is part of a large family with nine other siblings. She had some familial support even though growing up as a person with a disability in her family came with challenges. “My mom has been a supportive pillar since I was, ever since I was born,” says Badmus.
Growing up in Nigeria wasn’t easy: “There is no proper infrastructure put in place for people living with disability.” In her opinion, the government isn’t making enough of an effort to be more socially inclusive of people with disabilities. “Though they say they’re trying their best, but to me, their best has not been enough,” she says. Badmus remains hopeful that conditions will improve.
During her senior year in high school in 2001, Abike Dabiri (a known journalist) visited her school and sparked her interest in journalism. She originally planned to study journalism at a university, but she was unable to due to financial constraints at the time. Badmus attended a teacher’s college in the meantime.
Her activism roots, on the other hand, stemmed from her later days at University of Ibadan, where she studied education and political science. She also helped form the “Special Persons Club,” an organization for students with disabilities. Badmus says, “My relationship with people, with other people living with disabilities has been … very very wonderful. Because, from … relating with them, I was able to know that, apart from the fact that … one word band[ed] us together, that this is the word ‘disability’ [brought] us together, we still have our individual differences.”
Her passion for disability rights activism has endured over time. She places a particular focus on women with disabilities in regard to her advocacy work. Women with disabilities in Nigeria face a myriad of “intersectional” hurdles. For example, “If you look at the percentage of the employment rate of people living with disability, the women are really really lacking behind,” says Badmus.
She is looking forward to honing her journalism skills and creating a documentary after her fellowship with the Disability Justice Project. She intends to share stories of people with DeafBlindness and women with disabilities – of both “their inclusion and exclusion.”
Her positive impact on others continues to motivate her work. “Passion. My passion, the love, the smiles I see on people’s faces, that is what has been inspiring me…”
News From the Global Frontlines of Disability Justice
Failure to Inform
Zulaihatu Abdullahi dreamed of finishing school and building a home of her own. But at 19, she died of untreated kidney disease because no one could communicate with her in sign language. Her story reveals how Deaf Nigerian women are often left without lifesaving care. “If only she had access to healthcare where someone could guide her… explain each step, she might still be here,” says Hellen Beyioku-Alase, founder and president of the Deaf Women Aloud Initiative.
Disability in the Crossfire
In Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, ongoing conflict and forced displacement have hit people with disabilities hardest. Rebel groups seized supplies from a clean cooking initiative designed to support displaced people with disabilities, leaving many trapped without aid. “It is still a big difficulty for authorities or government or humanitarian organizations to make a good decision which includes everyone,” says Sylvain Obedi of Enable the Disable Action.
Gaza’s Amputees
At the Nahla Prosthetics & Orthotics Center in Gaza, staff wake up each day wondering if it’s safe to open before treating a handful of people in need of new limbs, adjustments, or psychosocial support. With famine declared in Gaza City and aid restricted, the center faces mounting shortages of materials and trained technicians. “Our colleagues call the situation a nightmare with no end,” says Zaid Amali, Humanity & Inclusion’s senior advocacy officer in Palestine.
‘People like Me Can Dare to Dream of Standing Upright’
Rwanda’s decision to cover prosthetic and orthotic services under national health insurance is being hailed as a milestone for disability rights. Advocates say it marks a shift toward greater inclusion and access to essential mobility aids. “This is more than a health policy,” says Jean Baribwira. “It is dignity, inclusion, and hope.” For many, the change represents long-overdue recognition of mobility as a basic right.
Read more about ‘People like Me Can Dare to Dream of Standing Upright’
More Than Words
In Nigeria, native sign languages like Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo Sign Language are far more than communication tools. They are living expressions of Deaf identity and culture. While often dismissed as unsophisticated or “pidgin,” these local variants foster deep connection, creativity, and self-expression among Deaf communities, particularly those left out of formal education. “It isn’t something one can learn online,” says Douglas Izu. “One learns it through deep immersion in the adolescent Deaf community.”
From Isolation to Advocacy
Nigeria’s DeafBlind community has long lacked recognition, but the launch of the Deaf-Blind Inclusive and Advocacy Network marks a turning point. Led by activist Solomon Okelola, the group seeks to address communication barriers and a lack of support. Among those affected is John Shodiya, who once thrived in the Deaf community but struggled with belonging after losing his sight.