By Eric Ojo
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc (ERPWDI), Chief Eric Ndubueze Ufom has been bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement and Legacy award by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD).
JONAPWD is an umbrella organization of persons with disability established in Nigeria to promote the rights and development of Nigerians with disabilities.
The organization was established in 1992, to represent the interests of the teeming population of persons with disabilities at the local and international level.
Chief Ufom, who hails from Urunnevo Ozom village in Enugwu-Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State of Nigeria, is based in Houston, Texas, United States of America (U.S.A). His organization, the ERPWDI is a name that is synonymous with courage, resilience, and global and national groundbreaking advocacy.
Notably, on his path, he is not merely a leader; he is the driving force behind decades of Nigeria’s national and international Disability Civil Rights Movement and policy changes and reforms.
Moreover, his unwavering commitment to dismantling all kinds of man-made barriers placed on Nigeria’s true Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and championing policy changes has earned him the title of Nigeria’s PWD Greatest of All Time (GOAT) change agent and barrier-breaker in the realm of global and national disability rights.
Chief Ufom’s recognition and award is coming at heels of the 5th Anniversary of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, which was passed into law under Nigeria’s obligation to fully Implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), signed and ratified by Nigeria on March 30, 2007 and September 24, 2010, respectively.
In addition, this also marks the end of its five years moratorium phase that kick-starts full implementation of the convention.
With the award, according to a speech delivered at award ceremony by the Chairperson Board of Trustee (BoT) and Co-Founder of JONAPED, Miss Omotunde Ellen Thompson, the association celebrates not only an individual but a hero and legacy, a legacy that empowers countless individuals to dream, strive, and overcome.
Miss Thompson said in a world that often overlooks the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, the awardee stands tall as a symbol and beacon of hope and progress, adding that through his visionary leadership, ERPWDI has become a powerhouse that relentlessly advocates for disability/women Inclusive and accessible grassroots, as well as community-based democracy and governance.
She also noted that his organization has also been in the forefront in promoting the ideals of political and electoral processes, peacebuilding, STEM-education, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 2030 Agenda, monitoring and combating climate change, air pollution and human trafficking and policy reform.
“His tireless efforts have not only transformed the landscape for persons with disabilities in Nigeria and among African Immigrants living in the United States but have reverberated globally, inspiring change on an international scale”, she said.
She further explained that Chief Ufom’s impact goes beyond the confines of organizational walls, noting that it permeates the very fabric of society.
According to her, he has spearheaded initiatives that not only break down physical barriers but also challenge preconceived notions and stereotypes, adding that his leadership is characterized by a relentless pursuit of justice, equality, and inclusion for all, leaving an indelible mark on the trajectory of international and national disability.
“We gather to honor and celebrate an individual who has dedicated his life to being a true beacon of change, a hero, and a spiritual godfather in the pursuit of equal rights for persons with disabilities. It is with immense pride and gratitude that I, Miss Omotunde Ellen Thompson, the Chairperson BoT and Co-Founder of JONAPWD, stand before you to present this award to Chief Ufom.
“Chief Ufom, you are a hero, a spiritual godfather, and the embodiment of resilience. Your honest dedication to the cause of equal rights for over 1.3 billion persons with disabilities worldwide, including 35.5 million Nigerians, 61 million Americans and millions of Africans, is an inspiration to us all.
On behalf of 35.5 million persons with disabilities in Nigeria and indeed, on behalf of humanity, under my official capacity as the JONAPWD BoT) and Constitutional powers vested in me by the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigerian (CAC), and JONAPWD Constitution, I present this Lifetime Achievement and Legacy award to Chief Ufom, a man whose name will forever be etched in the annals of global and national history as a legendary Hero, trailblazer leader, and the GOAT of Nigeria’s Disability Policy change agents”, she stressed.