A Day In The Life Of A Blind Man…

Living with any kind of disability is tough and having to deal with sight loss or low vision is only one of the teeming challenges that the visually impaired are facing when living life.

However, losing your physical vision doesn’t mean losing your vision for life nor your independence and no one knows his better than Yinka Anuoluwa Elienezar who is maximizing his potential regardless of his disability.

This was the distinct impression I got from relating with him. Very confident, very asserting and certainly very cheerful. Here was one Man who knew who he was, what he had to offer and was about making impact in his world.

Anuoluwa Yinka Eliniza is a facilitator, youth and women advocate, who lost his eyesight in 2005 after undergoing an eye surgery to remove cataracts. Prior to that, Yinka had perfect eyesight and was a school teacher.

Yinka was abandoned at a very early age, by his father who left and never returned, and his mum who passed on shortly after his birth. He was left with no one to care for him through his trying days, and attempted suicide time after time. Soon enough, he found a partner who accepted him along with his condition who became his wife and best friend.

Yinka is married to Abigail Anuoluwa and has four beautiful and brilliant kids who became his guide, chancellor and friends, helping him navigate his ways through the course of his life.

Talking to his wife it is clear she feels privileged being with him. She said she had no regrets whatsoever and praised the fact that Yinka took care of her and the children and a most loving fashion. She admitted it was challenging since she has to give him attention most of the time but added that it was well worth it and she and the children feel very secure and loved by him.

Yinka’s Morning routine is pretty standard… Being a practicing Christian, he wakes up to have his quiet time which involves prayer and listening to God’s word from his phone or any other electronic device.

Today, Yinka is washing some clothes before he steps out. This he does quickly and efficiently.

Soon… Yinka is dressed and set to go for his training classes. His wife accompanies him as she guides him by the hand to the railway crossing at the end of his street. This is where he would get a Bike to take him to his destination. This is his regular routine.

Today…. Yinka is attending a Catering Training for persons living with disability where he is learning how to make sausage rolls and Tigernut milk.

With a strong passion for education and skills acquisition, he seeks to improve and add more value to himself.

Alongside others like him, he soon learns the skill and is proud of his achievements.

Yinka is educated and a goal getter, who has learned crafts such as, Soap making, Catering and also studied digital marketing which he learned to add more value to himself. With a strong passion for reading, he listens to audio books, through the aid of a talkback app on his cell phone which he also uses in communicating with others.

The class is over… it time to go and his eldest daughter is already waiting for him at the Railway crossing to guide him back home…

As an entrepreneur, a worker and a trainer, Yinka has trained and inspired over 2000 persons in entrepreneurship and the act of finding their own vision. Yinka also believes his daily lifestyle will inspire and help other people who face one challenge or the other get back on their feet.

With great dreams and hope for the country Nigeria, Yinka is proposing to the government, programs for youth and women empowerment and education for the not educated blind citizens. He’s full of hope and not discouraged, knowing his dreams can still come true against all odds.

It is said that our Physical life is transient…fleeting… temporary. Regardless, People live this life differently…, full of expectations, aspirations and ambitions.

For many people, life never quite turns out the way expected and have had to adapt to a totally new way of life and make it work.  But Anuoluwa Yinka Elienezer… has certainly found a way to make his life count.

{Written By Zoe Okafor and Doreeen Jemi}