2022
It is not just doing an accessible walk to inform the world with mobility issue but to tell the world that we have to give those with physical challenges a chance to enjoy what others enjoy, what others do, what other explore and what others feel.
When you listen to stories of those with physical, sensory, learning and hidden disabilities, I bet you me, you will like to go beyond what our Awka Local Guides did. @Onyedika Okoye, @Okeke Nkiruka, @Flozy
Here is how it began...
It was a beautiful gathering of Awka Local Guides as we conveyed at Fides Communications which was our meeting point. We took some exciting pictures as we newly launched our local guides polo solely sponsored by one of our local guides, @Martin245. We looked so beautiful and we visited these places:
- From Fides to Roban Stores
- From Roban Stores to Anambra State Secretariat
- From Secretariat to Apex Medical Hospital
- From Apex Medical Hospital to Stamford Hotel
- From Stamford Hotel to Alex Ekwueme Square
- From Alex Ekwueme Square to Amaku General Hospital or (Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital- COOUTH)
- From Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital- COOUTH to Bank Road
- From Bank road to Nelen Studio
- From Nelen Studio to Crunchies Foods
When we departed from Fides by 12:30pm, we took a walk to Roban Stores which is about 800M from Fides. Roban stores is the only major store in Awka city.
Observation: We observed that the store had accessible path way at the two sides of the building (left & right). At the stores, we were greatly admired by people with our colorful polo as they kept asking what local guides was all about.
We spent some time at the store but we didn’t see any wheelchair person or disabled person present at the store probably because disabled people are not aware of such walk path way exist at the store. Our local guides presumed that the path way built was mainly for trolleys and for those physically challenged. We wanted to have a chat with the manager but she wasn’t on seat at the time we came in and we couldn’t spend more time since we had other places to visit.
At Anambra State Secretariat, we took best shots of the secretariat at the entrance of the building. The secretariat was our best shot for accessibility. The secretariat had many accessible path ways but we couldn’t enter inside the building because the security man asked us to get a letter from the state government before we could carry out any activity. We explained ourselves properly to him and pleaded we take some shots inside the building but it all fell on deaf ears. Mama Mia!!!. Because he didn’t want us inside the building, he monitored us till we left sight to be sure we didn’t take secret pictures. The good news is that we took many pictures and video before we were apprehended by the security man.
Observation: The United Bank of Africa (UBA) and its ATM stand situated at the secretariat had accessible path ways. Also, the entrance to the secretariat had accessible path way. Awka local guides commended the government for building the state secretariat with accessible path ways because normally, the secretariat is usually crowded with people who are physically challenged as workers or as visitors. The secretariat was beautiful and we took the best shots we could.
Thanks to one of our local guides @Okeke Nkiruka and @Flozy who did a good job in capturing secret video of the place.
After we left the secretariat, we moved to Apex Hospital which was just 100 meters away from the secretariat. We were very careful this time to be tactical about our pictures because explaining to people sometimes about your purpose sounds dense to them. We carefully took the pictures of the places that were accessible in the hospital before moving to the main entrance of the hospital which didn’t have accessible path way. After we were satisfied with the pictures, we then went to the main entrance and met the nurses and told them of our purpose after we asked about the Matron. Thanks to one of our local guides, @Okeke Nkiruka who did more of the video recordings.
Observation: The main entrance to the hospital didn’t have accessible path way but the pathology and mortuary section had.
From there we went to Stamford Hotel, 100 meters away from the Hospital. Stamford hotel had so many accessibility path ways in the open space and bars. The hotel had many bars named after great Nigeria legends like Barr. Gani Fawehinmi, Engr. Victor Achio Dilibe, Col Danguma Umar. We took so many great pictures at the hotel. We were only asked not to take pictures of the swimming pool because it was still under construction. Thanks to one of our local guides, @Flozy, who couldn’t resist taking good shots of the building?
When we left Stamford, we went to Alex Ekwueme Square. The Square was named after the first vice President of Nigeria, Alex Ekwueme. The square is a mini podium where functions like sports activities, governmental activities are held. The square has the statue of a Biafran soldier and a plaque with written names of people who sacrificed their lives during the Nigeria Civil War 1967- 1970. At first, the protocol officer was strict on us but later he was friendly to even take a selfie with us.
Observation: The square has one way accessibility path way.
After we left Ekwueme Square, we went to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), also known as Amaku General Hospital. At the hospital, we were embarrassed like kidnappers by the security officer for taking pictures without permission. He kept shouting and disturbing the whole neighbourhood even after we tried explaining to him that we didn’t see any security man at the gate post when we entered. Later, when he cooled off, we told him of our mission and apologized to him and immediately we took off to bank road. Thanks to our local guide, Onyedika Okoye, who was tactically in cooling off the hot atmosphere.
At bank road @ Onitsha- Enugu Express Way, no bank had accessibility path way. We left bank road around 5pm
After we left bank road, we went to Nelen studio to cool off the day. We joined the Art open house class. We were asked to draw the forms of what we saw on the screen. It was an exciting moment.
After the left Nelen studio, we drove to Crunchies Fast food to have a time out before we departed to our various homes.
Check out our photo album here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wfJVvsXgV6ggZqAc7
Check out our video here:
