A LIMIT THAT FAILED

 “I hope my greeting meets every one of us well. I am Zanni Emmanuel and I count it not only as a blessing but also a privilege to be here to give this speech. I was overwhelmed with utmost joy when photography to slums got an invite to grace this event. It made me feel a step closer, not only to my dream but also the dream of the initiative, photography to slums. 

I remember when I got to hear about photography to slums; I thought to myself “why not grab this opportunity and make every use of it you can?” and I can beat my chest to say that I did make a right choice. 

Photography to slums has grounded my stand on the belief that “Nothing, not even your limitations can limit you unless you choose to be limited”. That I can take photographs from any angle and view makes me have this feeling of fulfillment. I mean, I know I could live my dreams but not this early and once again, I’m very grateful to the initiators of the initiative, photography to slums. 

You see, I wasn’t born this way. I was born a normal child. I was able to walk for about 3 years before I got inflicted with a sickness that got me visiting all the general hospitals in Lagos. It was a long and tough time for my family as a whole; so tough my parents lost their twin children. I kept being referred to and rejected here and there. It got to a point I needed oxygen to survive and when we weren’t able to raise money for it, I would go off for up to 2-3 days (he should really give an explanation of this particular period for him). When it began looking like a solution could not be proceeded to my sickness, we had to go all the way to Benin Republic where I was finally given a kind of injection that was meant to make me better but then, being just a 3 year old child, the effect of the injection turned out to be too extreme. 

Back to Nigeria, I could not stand, talk less of walking. I kept on falling each time I was on my feet. It was just then that my parents realized what the injection had done to me. Basically, the effects were too strong for my system that it started crippling my limbs. Fortunately, my two hands were still put (at least my two hands could be put to use). 

I then decided to start schooling and once again, I kept on being rejected and referred all over because of my disability (he should demonstrate putting ‘disability’ in quotes with his hands). We eventually found a school that accepted me and I was enrolled in kindergarten. I would like to remind us that the only part of my body that was crippled were my legs. Every other parts of mg body are fully active and my brain happens to be one of them. 

I finished my KG2 and got promoted straight to primary 1. I schooled smoothly to primary 6 where I had to stop for a while due to the financial crisis in the family (we couldn’t afford the common entrance form so I had to stay back home for 3 years) before we were able to enroll me in a public school so I could further my education and right now, I’m 19 years old and I’m in J.S.S.2. 

Mind you, while I was in primary school, there were times I couldn’t go to school for up to a week because honestly, there was always this feeling of discouragement especially when I couldn’t find anyone help to oush me to and fro school but then, I didn’t let myself get overwhelmed by the feeling. Instead, I saw it as a meant to not give up, no matter what. 

 

My dear friends, I’m here to say to you once again that “nothing,not even your limitations, can limit you unless you choose to be limited”. These limitations could be anything still. It could be your background, your health or even your weaknesses but then it is up to you to make a choice. 

My own choice is to be limitless and I believe I will make it in studying medicine and surgery and also being a documentary photographer. I don’t know about you. 

One more thing that keeps me going is that the earlier you accept life is not a bed of roses, the easier it becomes for you to navigate through the thorns of life. 

Thank you.”

 

This was a gig I was given to help push young disabled people to put themselves out there and I bring this here, not only to them but also the privileged ones. There really is no limitation to what you can become, so long as you know where exactly you’re headed because truth be told, these things we and tag as barriers ot limitations are nothing but comfortable excuses we give ourselves. 

Whatever your dream is, chase it (in the right way). You don’t have to be perfect or “ready” to kick your journey of life.