For Mr. Babatunde Oluwadaisi Isiah Chesire, years of uncertainty, displacement, and exclusion gave way to hope on Monday as Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, fulfilled a promise to provide him with a new home and a wheelchair.
The presentation, held at the newly completed house behind King’s College, Moniya, marked more than the delivery of physical assets. For disability advocates, it represented a practical demonstration of how government intervention can restore dignity and improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The keys to the house were presented by the Director-General of the Oyo State Agency for Persons with Disabilities (OYPWD), Barr. Ayodele Adekanmbi, alongside the Governor’s Executive Assistant on Disability Matters, Hon. Olufemi Timothy.
Governor Makinde had made the commitment in January during the Oyo at 50 programme for persons with disabilities after Chesire publicly appealed for assistance. A wheelchair user for several years, he had recounted how he, his wife, and children were forced out of their rented apartment in Moniya, leaving the family without stable shelter.
Speaking during the handover, Barr. Adekanmbi described the gesture as “the fulfilment of a promise and the restoration of a life.”
Today is not simply the presentation of a house and a wheelchair; it is the fulfilment of a promise and the proof that compassionate governance finds its highest expression in restoring dignity where life once knew limitation.
He noted that Governor Makinde’s intervention reflects an approach to governance that places persons with disabilities at the centre of development, adding that no citizen should be invisible because of disability.
Adekanmbi also encouraged Chesire to preserve the house as a lasting family legacy and assured him that the agency would continue to champion policies and programmes that improve the welfare of persons with disabilities across Oyo State.
Also speaking, Hon. Olufemi Timothy said the current administration has consistently expanded opportunities for persons with disabilities through employment, empowerment initiatives, land allocations, and other forms of support.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Chesire expressed gratitude, saying the gesture had transformed what once seemed impossible into reality.
I never thought I would become a landlord, let alone own a house like this, he said through tears.
He also reflected on a difficult childhood after being abandoned by his parents in Ogbomoso, describing the governor as the first leader in Oyo State to show genuine concern for the welfare of persons with disabilities.
Beyond Charity
While the presentation has been widely celebrated, disability advocates say the moment also underscores the importance of moving beyond one-off acts of assistance toward sustainable disability-inclusive policies. Access to affordable housing, assistive devices, education, healthcare, employment, and social protection remains a pressing need for many Nigerians with disabilities.
Chesire’s story serves as both a reminder of the challenges many still face and an example of how responsive governance can restore dignity, independence, and hope.
