There is indeed ability in
disability! A man who was blinded
at the age of nine, passed through a Herculean
academic environment
like ours, withstood social embarrassment and emerged as the third
blind barrister in the whole of the Coal City state (Enugu State). A
man who believes so much in himself, a moral instructor, eloquent
speaker, a difference-maker, a consummate and erudite lawyer-BARR.
GABRIEL NNAMANI.
He lost this important organ of the body, more than two and
half decades ago! It happened when he attended the burial ceremony of
a notable hunter in our community. As at then, hunters who died in
active service were paid last respect by every other member with
discharges of locally made guns. On that fateful day one of the
members inadvertently released the bullet on the crowd instead of in
the air. Many persons were severally wounded some died while young
Gabriel lost his sight. Every meaningful first aid and treatment was
given but our effort yielded nothing to restore his sight.
This
physical stigma did not infringe on his ambition to
become an advocate of the masses. He attended, Oji-River Primary
School, Enugu State where he finished creditability well. From there,
he went to College of Immaculate Conception (C.I.C) Enugu where he
made his nine subjects all in one sitting. He passed his University
Matriculation Examination and got admission to study law at the
University of Jos-Plateau State. After completion of the programme, he
went to the Nigerian Law School, Abuja. He excelled and was called to
bar.
He is an uncle but he is like a friend to us. He never allowed
anything to discourage him. He is currently working under the Ministry
of Justice, Enugu State. Has his comfortable and spacious apartment.
As a senior staff, physical inability has never made him to allow
himself to be intimidated by his co-workers. He owns a mobile phone,
has his own bank account, can operate manual type-write and he can
visit any office without our assistant. He can wash and even cook
food! Barrister Gabriel Nnamani is a living example that our physical
predicament should not be an excuse for not attainment of our
existential ambition.
No matter what your own impairment or
disability might be, you
can work through it and become what you want to be. Even the bones
rose again!