Stakeholders advocate inclusion of persons with disabilities in film industry

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Founder, Royal School of Educational Therapy Foundation (RSETF), Abuja, Dr. Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, has called for inclusion of persons with neurodevelopment disabilities in societal functions, especially in the entertainment industry.
Adejugbe-Williams noted that including persons with neurodevelopment disabilities, along with some Nollywood and Hollywood celebrities in film production would demonstrate to the world that there is ability in disability.
Speaking during the filming of a movie titled; “Yes, We Can: Not A Burden,” she explained that the movie was aimed giving voices to persons with developmental disabilities, foster their development and demonstrate to the world that no matter the challenges, each person with disability has strengths and can learn and achieve if given the opportunity.
“So RSETF embarked on the development of a Docudrama titled YES, WE CAN: NOT A BURDEN”, having seen the need for inclusiveness and integration, particularly of children living with disabilities.
“ We have the belief that every person should be given every opportunity of academic excellence, talent development, and skill acquisition, has been empowering persons with neurodevelopment disabilities with life and vocational skills, and quite a number of the children have been learning and thriving,” she stressed.
The founder maintained that the project is bound to give them hope and help change the narrative of actors with disabilities s, adding that the project would hopefully add to the end of the systematic problem of exclusive practices in the entertainment industry worldwide and add to the advocacy for inclusiveness.
Also speaking, the director and producer, Amb Lancelet Oduwa Imasuen (Guvnor), described the movie as the height of inclusiveness, adding that it breaks all records as the most challenging film project ever embarked upon.
The movie producer adds: “This is more than just a film. Making these special people act alongside other artistes was just the height of inclusiveness. They had their scripts, read their lines and equally delivered their lines.
“To me as a filmmaker, this breaks all records as the most challenging film project ever embarked upon by me.”
The movie produced and directed by Amb Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, have other notable celebrities like Francis Duru, Empress Njama, Ali Nuhu, Paul Sambo, Fiona Garuba, Ngozi Ezeonu, Ivie Okujaye, and Fred Bright.