An amputee road work in Kaduna has gone viral following President Buhari’s controversial statement on Nigerian youths. The man identified as Abdulraheem Idris, 30, an Ogun State indigene, had one of his legs amputated six years ago but has not let this deter him from working hard. Daily Trust reports that Abdulraheem an apprentice motor mechanic got into a freak accident after he and some others were directed to move a vehicle to their workshop in Kawo from the bye-pass. “We were bringing the car when we had an accident along Mando Road. I sustained various degrees of injuries and my leg got infected so it had to be amputated. I have been living like that since then.”Not letting the amputation stop his life, he continued to work and is now a known figure along Ungwan Dosa-Kawo road in Kaduna metropolis, where he earns his living as a labourer in an ongoing road construction. He continued with his story, opening up on his upbringing; “I had no resources to send myself to school. At that time my friend’s father used to repair television sets, so I started learning from him and later he passed away too.” Abdulraheem said he found it difficult to get a job after his leg was cut off so he took to working on the construction site. “Since that time, I became idle. I did not know what to do or where to start from so I decided to come and meet the workers at the construction site and asked if they could give me work to do.” They asked if he could did, he said yes and was given the job. He said he has since become quite close to the site’s supervisors “When a new worker comes, I am like the oga and I have to approve before the person is employed as a labourer.” The 30-year old continued that he was married for 9years before he lost his wife last year during childbirth. On how he copes earning N60-N70 per meter dug, the father of 4 said; “Challenges are inevitable in life. It’s just that when you are physically challenged, it is more strenuous. I have instances when I go to look for work, people upon just seeing an amputee will think I have come to beg and send me away.” Dishing advise to young ones he said; “The best way to avoid that is by working hard, this is what I have to say to the youth out there. Try and be self-employed and do not wait for anybody to give you. I also want to thank President Muhammadu Buhari because it is during his regime that I was able to convince myself not to wait for people to give me and started working.” On people who are not physically-challenged yet beg for a living he said;
“I thank God Almighty for giving me the heart to work, not beg and I believe being physically-challenged does not mean one has lost everything. Just because I lost my leg or hand, people think that I have lost every opportunity in life, but I believe there are things you can do and God will help you achieve them.” On his aspirations, Abdulraheem said he would love to be independent and not go through the strenuous work like digging, adding there is no other option for him. On the possibility of fixing an artificial limb, he said his late dad wanted to get him one but did not as he was told another surgery would have to be performed on his limb. “I really suffered the first time I had surgery. I spent five years lying down in one place. I rejected it because I did not want to go through what I went through. I am however grateful to Allah the Almighty, even though this is not how I envisaged, but even with one leg, I am able to do what someone with two legs cannot do,” he stated. Photo Credit: Daily Trust
