In a bold step towards inclusive development and education, the Federal Government of Nigeria has commissioned a state-of-the-art home and school for visually impaired children in Lagos. The newly unveiled facility, built by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs), was inaugurated in Surulere, drawing wide acclaim for its potential to uplift and empower one of the country’s most vulnerable groups.
The commissioning, led by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, OFR, marked a significant milestone in the administration’s efforts to leave no one behind in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This facility is more than just a building,” said Orelope-Adefulire. “It is a symbol of compassion, inclusion, and collective progress. It reflects our shared humanity and our commitment to creating a safe, dignified, and empowering space for children with visual impairments.”
Located at the Bethesda Home and School for the Blind, the complex features 16 classrooms, dormitories, staff rooms, a Braille computer training centre, a library, a sound studio, and other inclusive design elements such as accessibility ramps. These provisions, she noted, aim to create an enabling environment where visually impaired children can learn, live, and thrive.
Orelope-Adefulire emphasized that the project aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals, including those focusing on poverty eradication (SDG 1), good health (SDG 3), quality education (SDG 4), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and sustainable communities (SDG 11).
“Through this Bethesda Home for the Blind, we are nurturing dreams, restoring dignity, and strengthening the wings of those who were never meant to be grounded,” she said, assuring that OSSAP-SDGs will continue to drive similar projects nationwide in pursuit of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Representing the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing, Barr. Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, praised the initiative and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to support inclusive educational projects.
Dr Oreoluwa Omowunmi Awokoya, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on SDGs, also described the facility as “hope made visible” and “inclusion made real,” applauding its foresight and humanity. “This is a sanctuary of vision, where ability rises beyond disability,” she remarked.
Other dignitaries present, including the Chairman of Surulere Local Government Area, Hon. Sulaimon Bamidele Yusuf; the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Chief Ayuba Burki Gufwan; and former Lagos State adviser Mr. Bola Shodipo, all praised the initiative for its transformative impact on the lives of the visually impaired.
The Bethesda facility stands as a shining example of how government-led social investments can create meaningful change, especially for marginalized communities.