A Nigerian couple living with visual impairment has appealed for employment opportunities, saying what their family needs most is not sympathy but a chance to earn a stable income.
Michael Ogunkanmi, 39, and his wife, Akintomide, 34, are both blind and have three children. Despite their disability, the couple have built a family around cooperation, determination and the desire to provide a better future for their children.
Michael and Akintomide reportedly met while they were students. They later married and became parents to two girls and a boy. Their children are sighted, although their eldest daughter reportedly has difficulty seeing objects from a distance.
The couple have developed routines that enable them to manage their home independently. They rely heavily on memory and communication, ensuring that household items remain in familiar places.
Michael explained that they assist each other with domestic responsibilities and call on their children when they need help identifying something.
As the children have grown older, they have also started contributing to simple household chores. Their eldest daughter, for example, helps with washing plates and sweeping and has begun learning basic cooking.
Parents Worried About Their Children’s Future
Although the couple have managed to keep their family together despite difficult circumstances, unemployment has placed considerable pressure on them.
Michael is trained in Music and Special Education and holds a Nigeria Certificate in Education, while Akintomide also has an NCE in Social Studies and Special Education.
The couple say they applied for teaching positions through the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, in July last year.
According to Michael, they were informed that they would be contacted, but the expected opportunity never came. He said they later followed up and were advised to provide a recommendation letter, which he obtained and submitted.
He said the acknowledgement of the application remains with them while they continue waiting for a response.
For the family, employment would provide more than personal financial independence. It would help the couple meet the children’s educational and daily needs.
Their children already have ambitions of their own. Michael said his eldest daughter hopes to become a doctor, while his son wants to become a lecturer.
However, providing the resources required to support those dreams has become increasingly difficult.
Living on Irregular Income
Without a teaching job, Michael currently depends partly on his musical skills. He plays drums at a church and receives payments that are not consistent.
On some occasions, church members reportedly give him small amounts after he performs.
The irregular earnings have made it difficult for the family to cover food, school expenses, clothing and other necessities.
Michael recalled situations where his children returned from school and there was no food available at home. On such occasions, he said, he sometimes obtains food from neighbours on credit or buys inexpensive items for the children until he can raise money to settle the debt.
The family’s financial challenges have also affected preparations for the children’s schooling, with textbooks, footwear and school uniforms among the items they need.
Both Parents Have Skills
The couple’s situation is made more difficult by the fact that they have acquired professional and vocational skills but have struggled to turn those qualifications into sustainable employment.
Michael has received training in soap production, while Akintomide has learnt perfume-making through an association. However, the materials they received were insufficient to establish businesses capable of supporting the household.
Michael therefore believes a formal teaching position would give the family greater stability while allowing him to continue his other skills and musical activities.
He said having a job would enable him to contribute more consistently to his children’s upbringing rather than depending on irregular income.
How the Couple Lost Their Sight
Michael was not born blind. He said his parents told him that he could see as a young child before he lost his sight following measles when he was about two years old in Badagry.
His wife’s experience was similar. According to Michael, Akintomide lost her sight while she was in Primary Four or Five, also after suffering measles.
Despite losing their sight, both continued their education and eventually became professionally trained teachers.
Their relationship has also remained strong despite the financial difficulties facing the family.
Michael said he continues to love and appreciate his wife, describing her as a patient person. Akintomide, in turn, said she appreciates her husband for his commitment to serving God and caring for her.
‘We Want an Opportunity’
For Michael, restoring his sight would undoubtedly bring happiness, but he does not see blindness as the end of a productive life.
He believes people living with disabilities can still contribute meaningfully to society if they are given opportunities to work and become financially independent.
The couple’s immediate priority is therefore employment.
They want to use their qualifications, support their children through school and build a household that does not have to rely on borrowing or occasional assistance.
Michael said his hope is for God to give his family peace and enable them to become financially stable enough to help other people facing difficulties.
For the couple, the message is straightforward: they are not asking society to feel sorry for them. They are asking for an opportunity to work, earn a living and provide their children with the future they dream of.
