The Delta State Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Omamuzo Erebe, SAN, has called for stronger commitment to the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, stressing that such rights should be guaranteed by law and justice rather than demanded by those entitled to them.
Erebe made the call as a panelist during an advocacy session organised by the Nigerian Bar Association Lawyers with Disabilities Forum (NBA-LWDF) at the NBA 2026 Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The session, titled “Beyond Barriers,” was held as part of the conference themed “Beyond Limits.”
The Solicitor-General emphasised the need for increased awareness, effective implementation of disability policies and the removal of institutional, physical and social barriers limiting the full participation of persons with disabilities in society.
He noted that persons with disabilities were entitled to equal rights, dignity and opportunities under the law, stressing that government institutions and other stakeholders had a responsibility to ensure that these rights were effectively protected and implemented.
Erebe specifically called for the establishment of functional sign-language communication systems in courts and hospitals to improve access to justice and essential services for persons with hearing disabilities.
He said, “The rights of persons with disabilities should not be demanded. Everyone is just a step away from disability, and everybody should be a disability-inclusion advocate.”
Also speaking at the event, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to promoting inclusivity and improving accessibility for lawyers and other persons with disabilities within the legal profession.
Badejo-Okusanya recalled her experience at an earlier NBA Lawyers with Disabilities Forum summit in Asaba, where she represented the immediate past NBA President, saying the experience exposed her to the realities faced by persons with disabilities and deepened her understanding and empathy towards their experiences.
She said the encounter had a profound impact on her, adding, “I became converted for life. I realised that we who think of ourselves as more able are actually completely oblivious of the things that people who are less able go through.”
The NBA President noted that the association had recorded significant progress with the passage of its Disability Policy by the National Executive Council (NEC), stressing that the priority now should be its effective implementation.
She pledged to work closely with the Lawyers with Disabilities Forum and the Association of Lawyers with Disabilities in Nigeria (ALDIN) to ensure that the policy was fully institutionalised within the legal profession.
Badejo-Okusanya also encouraged lawyers with disabilities to be more vocal in advocating their rights and pushing for reforms, noting that years of societal conditioning had sometimes caused persons with disabilities to accept limitations as their fate.
She assured members of the forum of her support and commitment to initiatives aimed at removing barriers and fostering a more inclusive legal profession.
Badejo-Okusanya also called for recognition of individuals who had made outstanding contributions to disability advocacy, particularly the outgoing Chairperson of the Forum, Ms. Patient Itumudo.
She described Itumudo as a committed advocate who had consistently demonstrated dedication to the advancement of disability rights and inclusion.
The NBA President urged members of the legal profession and society at large to replace sympathy with empathy, explaining that while sympathy might produce temporary expressions of concern, empathy encouraged a deeper understanding of the experiences of persons with disabilities and prompted concrete action to address their challenges.
She stressed that true inclusion meant ensuring that everyone could participate fully and equally in society, calling for sustained efforts to make disability inclusion an institutional reality within the NBA and the wider society.