Street begging is often wrongly associated with disability. When someone loses a leg, an arm, their sight, or any part of their body, many assume that the next step is to become a street beggar — as though it’s prescribed. This harmful stereotype is one of the reasons PWDs are widely known for begging.
I have personally experienced this bias before. It happened when I got out of a tricycle that had pulled up at Kabuga Underway. I was unfamiliar with the area and trying to find my way to Bayero University, Kano (New Site). I approached a passerby and handed him a scrap of paper on which I had written:
“Assalamu Alaykum. Please, where can I get a tricycle to the BUK New Site?”
The man was around thirty to thirty-three years old. He had a neatly trimmed beard, wore a stylish sky-blue shirt paired with dark jeans, and black shoes.
To my surprise, he refused to collect the paper. Instead, he reached into his pocket and brought out a one-hundred-naira note and offered it to me. I was stunned and disappointed.
I declined the money and insisted that he read the paper. Reluctantly, he took it, read it, and then immediately apologised. He directed me to the place where I could find a tricycle to BUK.
I didn’t hold it against him. I understood. He had likely encountered deaf individuals who were begging with a solicitation note on the streets and had generalised.
But this is precisely why I strongly condemn street begging. Disability should never be an excuse for begging. PWDs should not be reduced to beggars simply because of their condition. We must challenge this narrative.
Instead, society should actively support PWDs. Disabilities can indeed limit one’s ability to perform certain tasks. But that doesn’t mean we are incapable. Those who are uneducated should be empowered with vocational skills to start small businesses. Those who are educated should be given equal opportunities for employment.
The real problem is not disability. It is the lack of support, education, and inclusion. Street begging is not a destiny for PWDs. With the proper support, we can live independently, contribute meaningfully to society, and break this damaging stereotype.
Ibrahim Tukur is a Disability Rights and Inclusion Advocate. He can be reached via email at: inventorngw@gmail.com.