Trust africa news reporter by Halimah Balogun Ajibola,
A book aimed at addressing the needs of albinos was launched recently at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Building, Ikeja`, Lagos. The book entitled: ‘Melanin Minus A Mother’s Account of Raising a Child with Albinism)’, was written by Mrs. Fatimah Salahdeen-Omoyele.
According to the author, the book was written to tell her story of raising her albino child in a community openly adverse to disability and learning that the love of a mother is the greatest gift.
She described the book as an eye opener for parents of albinos and the society at large to understand the albino child.
“The book like the title described, is a story about what I have seen and what I discovered raising my albino child. It’s a memoir talking about when I discovered that it was an albino, how we found the things we didn’t know and what would help him to thrive as an albino child. The hostility of having a child that is considered different, is shocking. It debunks a number of the myths that are associated with albinos majorly.
“I want the book to create a basic understanding of the needs of an albino child. I want parents of albino children who before now didn’t know all of these things should be aware that there’s help and they can be kept safe, I want them to become aware of the fact that there’s no harm if you have an albino child, you don’t have to worry, all you have to do is ensure that the child is protected from the sun. I want the society to know they are not deities and there’s actually nothing special about them, I mean, they are not better than any other child, they are just children like everybody’s child. I’m hoping that an understanding of who they are would make the society less hostile and make them a little more empathetic”, she said.
The Chief Imam, Lagos State House of Assembly, Honorable AbdulLateef Abdul Hakeem stated that the book will assist the public to change their perspective about albinism and understand that they are children who have great potentials and should not be treated as second class citizens
“We are in a class conscious society, we have people’s consciousness of their class. It will save a lot of children with albinism from discrimination. They should know that the colour of their skin hasn’t done anything different from what the society expects. So, members of the family and society should treat them with love and compassion and give them opportunity to grow. At the same time, the specific needs that will alleviate their challenges have been highlighted by this book “, he added.
