The only thing we are good for in any government is cleaning while other Nigerians don’t see us as human beings. They say we are causing nuisance by the roadside and we are just suffering ourselves,” lamented Kachinakowa, a crippled beggar in Ibadan.
Kachinakowa, who hails from Katsina State, told Saturday Tribune during the week that he is thankful to God because regardless of how he was created, he still found means to take care of himself and his family.
He lamented government’s negligence of people living with disability and how they are treated in the society as less than humans.
He said he had not seen any difference between the past administration and the present government led by President Bola Tinubu.
“Government has neglected us. They come and take our pictures and put it for the world to see and claim that they are taking care of people with disability in Nigeria when in real sense they are not doing anything to alleviate our suffering. We do not enjoy any government in Nigeria because they don’t support us in any way.
“I don’t know which tenure is better between Buhari’s and Tinubu’s government. There is no difference at all. I don’t find joy in either of them; in fact this one is worse. But then, again, they are the same. Our prayer is just for God to watch over us and protect us,” he said.
He added that things became difficult after the naira redesign by the Buhari government and since then, people are yet to recover from the hardship of that policy inflicted.
“Since Buhari changed the naira design, everything changed and we are still suffering it till today. Right from that time, the struggle has not been easy for anyone especially cripple beggars like us. It is after people have enjoyed enough that they remember to give to us. But we still thank God, even in this kind of situation, because we still get little to feed our families with.
“A measure of rice used to go for N800 but now it sells for N2,000. People are in a lot of suffering, not only cripple people like me, but everybody in Nigeria is suffering,” he added.
Kachinakowa said though he travels home to see his family, he started begging in Ibadan 15 years ago and he takes care of his family with what he makes in Ibadan.
“I moved to Ibadan 15 years ago. I left my family behind in Katsina State though I travel home to see my family occasionally. God is merciful and kind to all of us. No matter how He created us, He would provide a way for us to feed and take care of ourselves,” Kachinakowa said.
He said though things were difficult and not everyone gave alms, he added that he still made some money saying God keeps providing for him and his colleagues.
“Though things are very expensive now, he still provides for us. Before now, N1,000 would be able to feed a family but now one must spend up to N3,000.If Mr A doesn’t give us alms, Mr B would and that is how God has designed for it to be. You see from the little we make here, that is what we feed on, send our children to school and also provide shelter for them.
“I believe that whether you are blind, crippled or an able bodied person, once you believe in God He will provide for the person be it little or plenty. What is important is to be thankful for every situation we find ourselves,” he told Saturday Tribune.
He added that he had heard of people that got assisted with huge sums of money to start a business and also take care of their families but it has never happened to a beggar.
“I have never heard that a beggar was assisted with two or three million as capital to start a business and to take care of their family. Things like that happen but I have never seen or heard it happen to a beggar.
“Instead, people will be peddling rumors that we are this and we are that as if we created ourselves. But the truth is, God created us so that those that are healthy will fear God and appreciate what He has done for them but unfortunately they don’t see it that way. Only the poor see it that way,” he added.
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