Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called for an aggressive reversal of negative mindsets towards albinos.
The Vice-President said it is paramount to have conversations around the safety and enablement of our citizens who live with Albinism.
He said this on Sunday during a virtual event, attended by personalities including diplomats such as the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, marking the World Albinism Day.
“Interventions made must be designed to improve the lives of people living with Albinism. The time is now to do more to reverse negative mindsets and socio-cultural stereotypes about albinism in our society.
“We must also go further to take deliberate steps as private individuals and public servants by giving them equal opportunity in the workplace and in social settings as well”, according to Prof Osinbajo.
He added that there is a need to see albinism for what it is, a genetic difference not a contagious disease or a public health problem.
In dealing with the various challenges faced by the albinism community, Osinbajo stated the need to “have frank and robust conversations around the protection and empowerment of our compatriots that live with albinism.”
“These conversations will drive change on two levels – in the public domain, where sociocultural perceptions of Albinism that are rooted in ignorance and superstition can finally be laid to rest.”
The Vice President admitted that “this is not going to be an easy task because superstition and sociocultural issues take a while to deal with, but we must aggressively begin to present counter-narratives to the socio-cultural misconceptions about albinism.”
