Visually impaired Nigerians struggle to navigate coronavirus challenges

By Angela Ukomadu and Abraham Achirga
LAGOS, May 21 (Reuters) - Lawal Adebimpe knows she must
remain a safe distance from people to help prevent the spread of
the novel coronavirus in Nigeria. But her blindness means she
usually holds people to navigate her way around the heaving
megacity of Lagos.
Adebimpe, a baker who lives with her parents, lost her sight
in 2018 after suffering retina detachment in a car accident. She
said the need to remain 2 metres away from others hit her "like
a bomb".
"I have to depend on people to go out. I have to cross the
road, I have to walk around, get a bus," said the 31-year-old.
"Some people would not want to hold you because of the
fear," she added.
Unlike in other countries, Nigerian traffic lights do not
make a sound when pedestrians can cross. And the lights often do
not work.
Social distancing is particularly tough in a country with
little support for blind people. Nigeria has had over 6,000
confirmed cases of the virus and 192 deaths.
Lockdowns in Lagos, neighbouring state Ogun, and the capital
Abuja lasted just over a month before being eased on May 4.
Nationwide restrictions - including social distancing, the
mandatory use of masks, an overnight curfew and a ban on
interstate travel - have been in place for more than two weeks.
Juliet Gbefwi, who runs the Yeyedu Outreach Foundation for
visually impaired people in the capital Abuja, said her charity
is trying to help people like Adebimpe by encouraging
adjustments to daily life: more hand washing due to the regular
touching of surfaces, and teaching the use of a cane.
But each day throws up questions about the dangers of
seeking help and whether help would be forthcoming.
Blind musician Shobowale Kehinde no longer ventures out to
areas he does not know well.
As a cautionary tale, he recalls a recent incident when
someone walked away when he needed help navigating his way in a
busy Lagos street.
"I couldn't call him back to say, 'please hold me, I'm
corona-free.' I cannot prove myself innocent," he said.