Poliomyelitis (Polio) is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. It is primarily spread through contaminated food and water. This debilitating disease enters the body through the mouth. Once inside, it multiplies in the intestines, and in some cases, it can invade the nervous system. In severe cases, the virus can cause paralysis, leaving many with lifelong physical challenges.
Despite significant global efforts to eradicate it, over 1.5 million people still live with the long-term effects of polio, particularly in regions like Africa. Nigeria’s situation is dire, with the country being one of the last strongholds of the disease. While wild poliovirus was declared eliminated in Nigeria in 2020, the nation still grapples with vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) outbreaks, with hundreds of cases reported yearly. This reality highlights the ongoing challenges faced by polio survivors, who often deal with not just the physical consequences of the disease but also societal stigma and exclusion.
However, a 44-year-old polio survivor from Abuja is challenging the status quo. Lois Auta, born in Nigeria, had her childhood forever altered by the polio virus. Having contracted polio at the tender age of two, she was exposed to an uncorrectable defect that confined her to a wheelchair all her life. As a child, she felt inferior to others and never wanted to mingle until her mother encouraged her.
Hereafter, she refused to let this experience define her. Instead, it ignited a fierce determination to fight for the rights of others like herself.
“I was affected by polio when I was two years old, but I see my disability as an opportunity to change the world. Disability will not stop me from achieving my dreams.” She told UN Women.
Today, Auta is leading the charge for disability inclusion through her political endeavours and her organisation, the Cedar Seed Foundation.
Advocacy through Politics
The zealous warrior on wheels has always been disturbed at how disabled persons were stigmatised, discriminated against and underrepresented in Nigeria. So, after being invited to a political meeting by a friend, she joined politics in 2017.
“I joined politics because I wanted to create space for women and people living with disabilities and to inspire other people with disabilities,” she said.
Although her 2019 campaign was unsuccessful, Auta derived joy in the fact that she was able to inspire millions by being the first woman with a disability to run for House of Representatives elections among 4,080 Nigerian candidates.
Serial founder on wheels
Lois Auta has always been aware of the discrimination faced by individuals with physical disabilities. Nigerian schools are often ill-equipped to support students with disabilities, and society frequently undermines their potential, labelling them as weak without giving them a fair chance. Rather than remain passive, Auta decided to take action. She founded several organizations to serve as a voice, especially for women and girls with disabilities.
She is the founder and president of the Network of Women with Disabilities, a global network with thousands of members worldwide, and the Cedar Seed Foundation. This organisation provides relief resources, educational programmes, and mobility aids to the disabled.
The Network of Women With Disabilities focuses on six thematic areas: economic empowerment, education, health (including gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health rights, and family planning), grant-making, peace and security, and climate change. They have empowered over 100 women with disabilities by providing skills training in tailoring, knitting, weaving, ICT, project management, finance and accounting, and catering services. As a result, some of these women have secured contracts, scholarships, internships, and fellowships both within and outside the country through the platforms created by the network.
Over the past eight years, she has garnered national and global recognition through sheer determination and unwavering commitment. This is due to her groundbreaking work, which has impacted the lives of over 25 million citizens with disabilities in Nigeria.
Lois Auta has earned accolades from various organisations dedicated to disability rights. Some notable recognitions include being listed in the 100 most influential leaders in Northern Nigeria list by Arewa History in 2016, among whom were the likes of Dangote, Amina Zubair, and other great leaders. She was also the only leader selected in Nigeria and the first physically challenged black woman in Africa to be named a young global leader of the World Economic Forum (WEF) out of the 100 under 40 leaders selected globally.
She has received golden handshakes from respected world leaders, including President Obama and the former First Lady of America, Michelle Obama; President Olusegun Obasanjo; President Goodluck Jonathan; President Mohammadu Buhari; President Cyril Ramaphosa; President Sahle-Work Zewde; and, recently, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Cedar Seed Foundation’s foundation also collaborates with various organisations to amplify its impact, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Local and International NGOs, and Corporate Sponsors.
Lois Auta has become a respected figure in the disability rights movement. Her political activities, intertwined with the mission of Cedar Seed Foundation, are powerful proof of what anyone can do through resilience. This woman continues to pave the way for a more equitable future, embodying the belief that everyone deserves a seat at the table regardless of their abilities.
