By Abigael Dada
To mark International Youth Day 2026, the Sparkle Aid Foundation hosted students, policymakers, and disability advocates at ABU Zaria for the Disability Rights, Inclusion and Green Skills Summit, with a focus on turning inclusion talk into action.
The event was organized by the Sparkle Aid Foundation in collaboration with the SDG Student Hub and the Special Center for Rehabilitation and Empowerment. It was held to commemorate International Youth Day 2026 under the theme: "Empowering Persons with Disability and Women through Inclusion, Green Skills and Sustainable Development."
Comrade Abdurrahman Usman Fatika, Convener of the Sparkle Aid Foundation, welcomed guest speakers, partner organizations, students, and participants. He said the summit was designed not just as a gathering, but as a platform to build partnerships, share ideas, and advance sustainable development through gender inclusion and disability rights.
Comr. Abdurrahman Fatika at the Summit
Delivering the Chairman’s Address, Dr. Kamaruddeen Adegboyega said there is an urgent need to change how society views disability. He said that physical challenges do not mean mental limitations. He also criticized Nigeria’s infrastructure, from lecture halls to public facilities, for not being accessible to persons with special needs. He emphasized that what is needed is a change in attitude, perception, and stigma, and that policies must go beyond paper to truly include people.
In her Keynote Address, Hon. Commissioner Barr. Gloria Ibrahim called for a change in language and mindset. She said persons with disabilities are internationally referred to as persons with special needs, and that real inclusion starts by breaking mental barriers. She also spoke on initiatives by the Kaduna State Government under Governor Uba Sani, which are moving from welfare to empowerment through vocational skills centers and inclusive technology hubs to help youth, women, and persons with special needs become self-reliant.
Hon. Commissioner Barr. Gloria, Kaduna State Government
The morning session also featured a poetry presentation by Aisha Aliyu.
The event had in attendance academic leaders and dignitaries including Guest Speaker Prof. Baba Jibrin El-Yakub, Director of ICERFE, and Dr. Haruna Muhammad, Deputy Director of the Counselling and Human Development Centre, ABU.
The panel discussion was moderated by Abubakar Yau Alhassan. The panel featured diverse advocates and practitioners.
- Dr. Shamsiyyah Umar, Founder of Special Physically Challenged Care Foundation, was on the panel.
- Amina Aminu, Disability Rights Activist and Founder of Wings Alive Support Initiative, was also a panelist.
- Zainab Abdullahi, ABU Administrator, joined the discussion.
- Umar Gombe, Veteran Actor and Filmmaker, also participated.
- Ibrahim Nuhu, Sustainable Development Advocate, completed the panel.
During the session, Umar Gombe called on the media and film industry to stop portraying persons with special needs as objects of pity. He urged for projects that show them as actors, scriptwriters, and storytellers.
A talent showcase followed, depicting skills and creativity. Suleiman Musa, a 200-Level Political Science student with a physical impairment, performed Hausa and Fulani music. Hauwa Musa Abdullahi, a Mass Communication student and journalist with a physical impairment, exhibited her hand-crafted beadwork. Bamidele Abraham gave a talking drum performance. Ibrahim Basiru demonstrated an Islamic e-Library web platform he developed.
In an interview after the session, Ubaidat Shehu, a 200-level Computer Science student, said she learned a lot from the discussions. She appreciated the organizers for putting together a summit that benefited both students and persons with special needs.
Closing the summit, Hamissu Umar Abubakar, Coordinator of the SDG Students Hub, ABU Zaria, spoke on the hub’s history. He said it started from a United Nations initiative and became the first in northern Nigeria, and has since led to four more hubs in Kano, Katsina, and Kaduna. He added that the hub has impacted over 20,000 youth through more than 40 projects, including leadership workshops, global citizenship sessions, and Almajiri outreach programs.