I could have been burnt to death in 2013 —Visually impaired UI PhD holder 

Dr Bibiana Ifeoma Okoli set a record at the 73rd convocation of the University of Ibadan, held on November 17, by being the first female with visual impairment to earn a PhD of the University of Ibadan, the premier university. She speaks with WALE AKINSELURE on the journey to attaining this feat.

How would you describe your feeling at the feat achieved?

Joy is written all over me. I am more than happy. I don’t know how to appreciate God for what he did for me. I am really happy and you see that I am dancing as David danced.

Can you run us through the journey towards becoming a PhD holder?

The journey was not an easy one. There were so many rigorous paths. But with the help of God, doggedness, hard work, determination, I was able to surmount the obstacles and challenges that came on the way.

What were those obstacles, challenges that you encountered?

The unique one was that I could not have been alive today. On the 13th of January, 2013, which was around the time I was given admission for PhD, at Benin bypass, as I was coming home from the East to Ibadan, we were attacked by armed robbers. They made away with all our belongings, killed the driver and set ablaze the Peace Mass Transit bus ablaze. Everybody dispersed except myself and the dead driver. The vehicle was burning. If not for God and whom God sent whom I think was an angel, because I do not know the person. Smoke had covered the vehicle, the vehicle was burning and I heard a voice: “Sister, sister, give me your hand” and I started flipping my hand until he was able to grab my hand and drew me out of the window. Look at my hand, the mark is still there. This made me to write a paper which I titled: “Security emergency in Nigeria: Ordeals for persons with Visual Impairment.” I presented it at a conference in Kenya and it was published.

Considering your visual impairment, how did you go about studying, doing research, conducting field work for your PhD?

I did it just like any other person, except that those of us with special needs, visual impairment have to go an extra, extra mile. In sourcing information on the Internet, I have to ask some of my friends to help me to that and from time to time, I used to tip them to encourage them to help because I was determined to get PhD. I just exhausted any means possible for me to work it out.

You said you started your PhD sometime around year 2013; that is about eight years. What prolonged your attaining your doctorate? Also, tell us about your thesis and your supervisor?

I started my PhD in 2013 but there was a lot of strikes and that was what prolonged it. My thesis was: “Environmental and Affective Factors as Determinants of Risky Sexual Behaviours Among Adolescents with Visual Impairment in Secondary Schools in the South Western States”. I defended on the 15th of January, 2020. I was supervised by Professor Ikechukwu Ambrose. He is the first Professor in Gifted and Talented Education in Nigeria, West and Central Africa, while I am the first female with visual impairment to earn a PhD in the University of Ibadan, the premier university. In my home state, Anambra, and in the whole of the South East, research says I am the first. Then St Joseph Rehabilitation Centre for the Visually Impaired, where I did my rehabilitation and orientation programme, I am the second female. I am the first in the Special Persons Club, University of Ibadan. I give God all the glory.

Did you also have your first and second degrees from the University of Ibadan?

I had my first degree at the department of Special Education, University of Ibadan, in 2010; and my second degree in 2012.

Were there times, along the line, where the obstacles were so much and you felt like abandoning your studies?

No, I don’t give in easily because I have promised myself and God that I must get this PhD. It is never in my dictionary, even in my day-to-day activities. And that is my people call me mentor, motivator.

Now that you have achieved PhD, what is your next target, ambition?

My first target is to get a lecturing job, if the opportunity comes. I have toiled for many years and this is my major priority. The second priority is that I want to start a nongovernmental organisation where I can impact in the lives of other persons with special needs. This is because some of them have lost hope thinking that when you have any disability, that is the end of life. I want to start that to encourage them. If I have more hands or support, I will love to give them scholarship to be independent in life; I also will like to give vocational training, especially to those who don’t want to follow the academic line.

Tell us about your family background, especially, were you born visually impaired?

I am, from Ezihu village, Igboukwu in Aguata local government area of Anambra state. I am the first child of my parents, Mr Obianusi Vincent Okoli, of blessed memory and Mrs Ijeoma Beatrice Okoli. My own condition was not congenital; I met it on the way while growing up; it is adventitious. I had failing eyesight due to a degenerative eye disease known as Retinitis Pigmentosa. It was my mother who first observed my condition. For this reason, I admonish all mothers to have time for their children. It was a tradition in my family that once you return from school, before you have lunch, you must submit to your mother what you did in school for that day. It was in the course of her going through my class work that she noticed that instead of writing on the margin, I was writing above the margin. She asked why I was writing above the margin, but I couldn’t see or understand what she was saying. When my father returned from his business trip, she explained her observations to him. The next day, they took me to see an ophthalmologist. Getting to the ophthalmologist and others in many hospitals, none of them could identify what my condition is. They said they do not know what it is and that I have to live with my condition. But, I told them that they have spoken as men but God has the final say.

Tell us about your support mechanism, through the years?

First, God Almighty has been there for me; my parents; my siblings; the priests and religious. I grew up from Abakaliki. Coming down to Ibadan, I came to meet the Dominicans, Friars, the Order of Preachers, the Camelites, Redemptorists, DDL, the two archbishops of this diocese; late Monsignor Felix Adeigbo; Fr Betrand Okoh, who is the superior of Our Lady of Calvary Monastry, Enugu; the nuns at St Justina Monastry, Abakaliki; my teachers; roommates; benefactors. In fact, I am so loved. I always say a prayer before the Blessed Sacrament affirming my trust that God is leading me somewhere. I also thank the postgraduate college, the University of Ibadan. I enjoyed scholarship for three years during my PhD but I am pleading on behalf of others that it should be extended. For a special person to undergo doctoral degree programme is not easy. There is a lot of finances needed. I remain loyal to the University of Ibadan. All the Vice Chancellors I met during my study were really helpful.

Do you think your educational system supports people who are visually impaired or living with other disabilities sail through in their educational pursuit?

Compared to what it used to be in the past, I think there is more enlightenment and understanding but there is still much to do. It is just a few of us that have enjoyed scholarships and other equipment. The cost of all our equipment is so exorbitant that it is difficult for one person to be able to purchase it. I call on the federal government, institutions of learning, well-meaning individuals, philanthropists to come to our aid, to help us. We have our potential; God endowed us with so many potential but we only need help, assistance to harness them.

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