Adamu Sidi, a physically challenged man, told FEMI ADI why he and his colleagues left Lagos and other parts of the Southern states for Kaduna to start welding business and the challenges they are currently facing

Why did you decide to go into welding, despite your challenges?

It is God that made us cripples and by his grace, we are now successful welders . We decided to go into welding despite being crippled, first to survive and make a living out of it. Secondly to prove to the world that what the able bodied persons can do, we can also do, if not even better. It might sound funny but that is the truth. We started with a combined savings of N20,000 and today, our welding business has grown into a sustainable business that takes care of over hundred members of our family. This is why we would always thank God for our choice of business .

•Adamu Sidi

Before now, what were you doing to survive?

We were beggars. Our belief then was that we cannot do anything physical because we are handicapped. For me and almost all my co-workers here we had traversed most states in the south-west and south-south to beg. I started from Kano, then moved to Lagos for a greener pasture and later Ibadan. I have friends and colleagues who were then begging in Enugu, Port Harcourt and Asaba-anywhere we could get sympathy and good money to survive.

When did you abandon begging?

In 2005, the 10 of us did and we are not regretting it, because we are all comfortable and happy doing what we are doing now. It is more dignifying and self sustaining. We might not be as rich as we are expected to be, but the fact that we are now experts and have trained as well as graduated more than fifty crippled apprentices across parts of the state is fulfilling and worthwhile. At least, some of us are married with children who are going to school. We are happy that our children will inherit sound education from us and not begging. This in itself is enough motivation and encouragement.

•Front view of the physically challenged welders workshop

What informed your decision to quit begging for welding business?

It was true that we were getting free money from people those days we were begging , but when we got the information that some state governments in south had started talking tough about stopping begging and evacuating beggars off their roads, few of us that were uncomfortable about the development thought the best was to find an alternative means of making a living. And we resolved in the end to first move to our states of origin to continue to beg but with a plan B to quit begging once we get any serious business to fall back to. So , when we came back from Lagos , we didn’t wait , we decided to officially inform the state government that we were back and willing to find a sustainable means of survival. Luckily , we were immediately referred to Kaduna State Rehabilation Board and got registered for a comprehensive welding training. It was a mission accomplished, we were ready to take the risk to do what appears impossible .

•One of the physically challenged welders

How long did it take you to be trained .

It was a six-month training programme. We were again lucky that the 10 of us were considered for the programme. We also thank God that we successfully went through the training programme and graduated same time. The good thing about it was that we were given starter packs ,which included welding equipment and cash. Today, though we are crippled by nature , we have proved to the world that it doesn’t matter. What I think matters is the ability to work, using our hands and creating something to sell . And we are doing just that at our workshop, which we built ourselves .

How much did it cost you to build and equip this business environment?

We started welding at a different places, but after some months , we complained to the Rehabilitation Board about the need to give us a strategic area, where we could weld materials and display them for interested buyers to see. Again, we were lucky our request was granted immediately. We were given this place , which we developed over time into what you see as our welding business area.

Do you get any support from government to consolidate, especially that your case is peculiar as cripples?

Beside the initial capital and starter packs, government has not really done anything to encourage us in terms of patronage. Perhaps, because we are cripples, they think we can’t do better. We also expected to get loans or funds to improve on what we do. Of course, as you can see, we are cripples doing what the able bodied men do, so we ordinarily need to do more for people to believe in us . But thank some Non-Government Agencies for example, Fadama 3 and few individuals who appreciate what we do have tried to assist, but they only help with few equipment .

What do you produce?

We produce iron doors, gate, tricycles for the cripples and improvised motorcycles also for cripples, iron windows , window burglary, chairs and table. There is nothing produced with iron or metal that we can’t produce here.

How much on the average do make monthly?

We used to make within a hundred and two hundred thousand, depending on the jobs at hand. But in recent times, the profit margin is very low and this is basically because of low patronage by government and people. For the individuals , I will agree that it could be the harsh economic situation, but for government, it’s sheer neglect. We expected government to encourage us by giving us contracts to produce school chairs, windows and doors and tricycles for the cripples. In so doing, we can have a financial base to grow into a bigger industry .

Aside finance, what are the challenges you face?

It is simple. I will narrate one incident to you. There was day a man came here to discuss a particular gate design, when I crawled out from our office to meet him, he frowned and he became very uncomfortable. I realised this, but assured him we could do it. He later agreed after several assurances. We face this kind of problem every day. We know it is not easy to give jobs of welding gates and heavy doors to cripples, when even the able bodied might find it difficult to produce such items.

•A motorcycle produced for the cripple

In what ways can you overcome this challenge?

It is a simple remedy. If we can get loans, we can design and produce these gates, door, tricycles and other items ready made. If they are ready made, we think we can overcome the problem, because the question or issue of who produces does not matter, but the finished product. And if the government wants people to stop begging they should encourage people to be creative and self reliant. We have done these, but not getting the patronage expected. However, now that we have someone like Malam Nasir El’Rufai as governor, we strongly believe that he would help, because he was here to campaign. And when he came, he promised to help, so we are waiting.