All disabled or physically challenged human beings should be regarded as special citizens of the world. A thin line separates the able from the disabled just like a thin line separates life from death.
One could be physically sound and okay in one second but finds himself or herself disabled the next second or minute either through accident or by design. Therefore, it is foolhardy for any physically-abled person to mock or make a caricature of the disabled in the society.
However, there are various forms of disability or deformity. Some are physically able but spiritually, mentally and emotionally disabled. While some people are physically disabled but are very productive and sound in mind emotionally.
Dr Stanley Nwachukwu, the Imo state chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, belongs to those who are physically disabled but he’s far sounder in mind and makes greater impacts and productivity than most physically able persons around the world.
Dr. Nwachukwu has not allowed the vicissitudes and vagaries of physical deformity to weigh him down. In spite of his deformity, he has made a lot of mileage in entrepreneurship, commerce and hospitality as he employs hundreds of able-bodied men and women in his monthly payroll.
Dr. Nwachukwu has never allowed his seeming physical challenge to deter him from participating actively in all endeavours of life including politics. He’s currently the South-east zonal chairman of the People with Disabilities in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Therefore, in matters that concern people with disabilities in the whole of five states in the South-east, comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, Dr. Nwachukwu is the head or the coordinator of the zone.
Aside from being a successful businessman, Dr. Nwachukwu has leadership traits and qualities innate in him and that’s why he had led a lot of organisations and associations that included able-bodied men and women due to his sterling and stellar leadership attributes.
Dr. Nwachukwu has recorded unprecedented achievements since he started piloting the affairs of the disabled in Imo state. His humanitarian foundation (Disabled Destiny Track Foundation) has over 400 disabled Nigerians, especially Imo disabled people in his monthly payroll. For several years now, he has instituted a yearly competition among the disabled where the second runner-up, first runner-up and the winner smile home with millions of naira as prizes won.
Dr. Nwachukwu is a man with a milk of human kindness and that’s why issues that concern the disabled border him a lot. The delegates among the disabled should do humanity a favour by electing Dr. Nwachukwu as the National President of JONAPWD in the forthcoming delegate election of the association.
Dr Nwachukwu has been honoured with several chieftaincy titles and honorary degrees across Nigeria due to his selfless services to humanity, especially among the disabled who are his primary constituents.
The South-east, South-south and indeed all the national delegates of the JONAPWD will experience a remarkable transformation of the association if they elect Dr. Nwachukwu their national chairman this month November.
Ifeanyi Maduako,
Owerri, Imo state
