THE Ekiti State Blind Community have joined their counterparts world over to commemorate the 2025 International White Cane and Safety Day, using the occasion to push for deeper inclusion, stronger accountability within disability groups, and sustained government support.
The rally, themed “Vision Beyond Sight,” was held around the Fajuyi area of Ado-Ekiti and attracted members of the blind community, government officials, caregivers and disability advocates.
Speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Education and Social Inclusion, Princess Adetoun Agboola, said the annual White Cane Day remains a statutory and symbolic reminder of the rights, dignity and mobility needs of the blind.
She assured that Governor Biodun Oyebanji-led administration would continue to stand firmly with persons with disabilities, noting that government will never fail to celebrate and support them.
Princess Agboola congratulated members of the association who recently secured government employment and others who benefitted from economic empowerment schemes, describing the gesture as part of Governor Oyebanji’s broader commitment to social welfare.
She urged members of the association to uphold good conduct in public and to continue demonstrating virtues that “dispel stigma and earn public respect,” stressing that trust must exist on both sides.
“You must keep trusting Governor Oyebanji’s administration, because he has shown in clear terms that your welfare matters. In the same way, you must also earn the trust of government through responsible leadership and unity,” she said.
The Special Adviser also cautioned the leadership of the Blind Association in Ekiti to work harmoniously with the national body for effective coordination and transparency, emphasizing the need for internal cohesion to strengthen advocacy and ensure that the group is well managed, credible and responsive to members’ needs.
Reaffirming the administration’s inclusive policies, she described the blind community as proof that disability does not translate to inability, saying the members seated were shining examples of the fact that “there is ability in disability” as they are doing great in their various endeavours despite the challenges.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the planning committee, Mr. Gboyega Afolabi, commended the state government for its consistent interventions aimed at making life easier for the blind persons across Ekiti, noting that initiatives such as mobility support, job placements and economic grants championed by Governor Oyebanji have given many members renewed confidence.
A major highlight of the event was the distribution of free white canes to members whose mobility aids had worn out and to those who previously had none. The gesture, geared towards enhancing safety, independent movement and dignity in daily life.
Beneficiaries, of the state government’s gestures, which include school fees, business grants, employment among others such as Mr. Ibrahim Olajide and Ms. Precious Agboola, expressed appreciation to Governor Oyebanji for the numerous things he has been doing for persons living with disabilities, describing the support as life-changing.