A renowned Nollywood thespian, Rita Dominic, on Wednesday in Lagos urged Nigerians to be tolerant of physically challenged individuals.
Dominic, who said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, also appealed to the authorities to provide requisite support services to enable them to contribute to national development.
She said that a show of love and care, rather than pity, would give such individuals a sense of belonging and integration in the society.
She said: “No one has seen God but the human beings we see are the manifestation of God and so we need to show them love.
“The public needs to know these people exist.
“We need to tolerate and accept them.
“They are human beings like us.
“If you don’t know them or go close to them, you won’t know their needs.”
Dominic said that disability does not discriminate as it could happen to anybody irrespective of status or personality.
She said: “Disability knows no social status, age, gender, tribe, race and religion.
“No one is immune to acquiring disability.
“If you do not get it at a young age, you may get it at old age.
“Therefore, we have to be generous and accommodating in dealing with people with disabilities.”
The thespian urged physically challenged persons to also equip themselves by becoming educated and acquiring vocational skills that would enable them to lead a better life.
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