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There are many people who use their conditions to limit their purpose in life especially when physically challenged. Kelechi, a laboratory scientist by profession, make-up artist, poet and motivational speaker dared to conquer after life played its trick on her. Enjoy the interview with EM’s DAMILOLA SHOTE as she reveals some amazing facts about herself:

UHEGWU Kelechi Ruth is a woman that has risen above her fears and has survived all lemons life has thrown at her to make lemonades. Her story is no news to those that know her. The journey started just a little after her first birthday, “I had poliomyelitis when I was a toddler. Mum always had her kids in Agbor, Delta state. She traveled to Lagos to see my dad and left me with my grand-mum. I fell ill and was taken to the hospital, injected and finally was paralyzed on my lower limbs”. Growing up for her had a lot of changes that came along but with the support of her family, especially her parents, coping became easier as time went by.

During her academic years, she struggled to always meet up with school but she did not limit herself to being confined on a wheelchair. Her zeal to learn and succeed amidst the difficulties gained her favor and support from her university heads that made the journey relatively smooth. EM in a quest to know how Kelechi pulled through, realized that even though there were restrictions with her movement being confined to a wheelchair, she was happy to state that the government has helped with structures in place for people with disability.

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She says “Lagos state has helped to make life quite comfortable as to other states though, the BRT buses are free for us but they have a limitation to places that they can go to. The Lagos airport also has a special service for wheelchair users like me. It has been a gradual process and I hope that soonest, this experience would be a thing of the past as I think that policies would be put in place to protect our rights as humans first and then as people living with disability”. She told EM she uses the “keke-napep” to cover short distances in the absence of BRT or the TAXI apps. Barriers in buildings especially public buildings like the banks, schools, hospitals, etc are the worse to come to terms with, she confesses.

What makes Kelechi unique is that she finds life and her experiences a motivating factor. In as much as friends and family have been supportive, she has gotten used to the fact that if she doesn’t help herself, no one will and is determined to do so against all odds. All hope isn’t lost as her condition is medically rectifiable and all ways to raise funds to complete the surgery to enable her get back on her feet has been ongoing (there is still a lot of money needed to achieve this to make her walk again).

Another interesting thing about this vibrant lady in her mid 30s is that though still single, Kelechi has enjoyed love which she describes as an eclectic mix of the good, bad and ugly and has found the experiences to be worth it in her journey to self discovery. She advises that people living with disability like her should keep a positive spirit, get an education if possible, look and smell good buttressing the fact that it will increase one’s self esteem and it will enable them express themselves as ought eventually.

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With such a strong and persevering spirit, EM wanted to know who inspires and motivates her, “I have many people I look up to for various reasons” she says “but here I would say Nelson Mandela for his ‘never die’ spirit and his forgiving heart. Love truly does rule the World!”

Kelechi describes herself as SIMPLE, but in her simplicity here are 5 amazing facts she revealed to us-

1. I am a perfectionist.

2. I am a good cook.

3. I can knit a lot of things with my knitting pin.

4. I am a Virgin.

5. I am a great singer but only in the bathroom.

She believes that with time, the government would intercede on their behalves to a point where they have free accessibility to wherever they want to go, have free health care, free walking aids, free education, job opportunities and stipends to take care of their immediate needs. She also believes that the physically challenged people are part of the minority group in Nigeria and all stated above are very feasible to achieve as done in other developed parts of the world.

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Kelechi is a RAY OF HOPE and certainly going places with the gifts she has taken to use to her advantage, we believe that in due time the required funds to have her surgery will be achieved.

Once again, you can make lemonades from life’s lemons….

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