In a recent incident at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, Nigeria, the Dominic Joshua Foundation was appalled to learn of the humiliating treatment experienced by a person with disabilities at a KFC restaurant. The victim, Mr Debola Daniel, the son of the ex-governor of Ogun state, recounted the distressing encounter where they were publicly humiliated and denied entry to the KFC premises due to their wheelchair use.
According to the victim’s testimony, after completing all necessary airport procedures for their Virgin Atlantic flight to London, they, along with family members, decided to dine at the KFC restaurant while awaiting their flight. However, upon attempting to enter the restaurant, they were met with discrimination by the female manager, who adamantly refused to allow wheelchairs on the premises.
Despite attempts by the victim’s companions and other patrons to reason with the manager, she upheld KFC’s discriminatory policy, insisting that individuals using wheelchairs were not welcome at the establishment. This unjust treatment left the victim feeling dehumanized and ostracized, echoing dark periods of history marked by discrimination and segregation.
The Dominic Joshua Foundation firmly believes in advocating for equal opportunities and inclusivity for all individuals, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. No one should ever be subjected to such demeaning treatment simply because of their physical condition. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.
It is deeply concerning that in today’s society, where strides have been made towards promoting diversity and inclusion, instances of discrimination against persons with disabilities still occur. As highlighted by the victim, approximately 27 million Nigerians live with some form of disability, comprising over 13% of the country’s population. Globally, 1 in 6 people are disabled, emphasizing the importance of addressing discriminatory practices and fostering a more inclusive environment.
This is how the victim, recounted the event on his Instagram page, @deboladaniel:
““To be a disabled in Nigeria is to be undesirable, unwelcome and unaccepted. As I’ve said before, it’s a lonely, scary and isolated place. Never has this been more true than it has ever been today where I faced the worst sort of public humiliation that I have ever experienced. To think that this happened at an international brand, KFC at an international airport – Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos – is unthinkable,” he said.
He explained that after all the necessary documentation had been concluded at the airport ahead of his Virgin Atlantic flight to London, he decided to pass the time, alongside his wife and siblings, at the KFC restaurant while waiting for the flight.
However, he was in for a shock, as the female manager at the restaurant humiliated him, saying wheelchairs and users were not permitted on the premises of the KFC. She also demanded that they leave immediately, according to Daniel.
He wrote: “Years ago, after all security and immigration formalities have been completed, I would normally go to the OASIS lounge to wait for my flight. For the past 3 years, the lift to the lounge has been out of service so I’ve often found solace in other establishments, sometimes lounges, sometimes restaurants such as KFC.
“Today I chose KFC – what a colossal mistake. I entered the restaurant with 4 other travel companions, consisting of my brothers and wife. The security personnel at KFC, Samuel, greeted me by name as I’ve been there multiple times. Just as we were about to sit, the lady at the till – who was apparently the manager – called out loudly, ‘No wheelchairs allowed’
“Our group paused in confusion, before my brother, Taiwo, asked what she meant. She refused to listen to reason and stood her ground that at the KFC, Murtala Muhammed branch, wheelchairs and wheelchair users of all shapes and sizes were not permitted on the premises and we should leave immediately.“
Daniel said that despite efforts from other people at the restaurant to wade into the situation, the lady maintained that KFC was averse to wheelchairs on its premises.
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“My siblings and wife became instantly irate and proceeded to debate her position with her, ultimately cumulating in raised voices and strong verbal protests. If there’s one thing I hate more than anything in this life is to create a scene. I detest it. I do not like to draw attention to myself and as such I began pleading with my people that we should just leave,” said Daniel.
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“My wife took some video footage and my brothers took some pictures. There were at least 5 other witnesses at the scene, who tried to intervene as things unfolded. Eventually, our party departed to another lounge upset and quite frankly pissed off.
“Normally I would let these things slide but not today. When calmer heads prevailed, my wife and brother – Mayowa – went back and under the guise of buying some food and while audio recording, she questioned the lady again and the lady reiterated her position that the business does not allow wheelchairs into their premises.“The manager, according to Daniel, mentioned that KFC was strict about its “no wheelchairs allowed” rule. For Daniel, this sort of prejudiced rule brings to bear similar discriminatory practices in history.
“She stated that although she recently just transferred to that branch, it is something that has been drummed into them. No wheelchairs allowed. It harkens back to dark periods in recent history. No wheelchairs allowed. No coloureds allowed. No blacks allowed,” he said.
“Today, I felt less than human, like a guard dog not allowed into the house. Lonely and isolated. I will continue to escalate this exponentially until I get a reasonable resolution and there is no stopping me. You cannot treat people this way. There are approximately 27 million Nigerians living with some form of disability. That’s over 13% of the country. 1 in 6 people on the planet are disabled. You must not treat people this way.“So my question to KFC is simple. Does this represent your approach to disabled customers or will you be looking into this? Am I not human enough for KFC?.”
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The Dominic Joshua Foundation urges KFC and other businesses to reassess their policies and practices to ensure they align with principles of equality and accessibility. Discriminatory rules that exclude individuals based on their disabilities have no place in our society and must be challenged and rectified.
We call upon KFC to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident and take appropriate measures to address the victim’s grievances. Furthermore, we encourage KFC to implement comprehensive training programs for its staff to promote awareness and sensitivity towards individuals with disabilities.
In conclusion, the Dominic Joshua Foundation stands in solidarity with the victim of this unjust treatment and reaffirms its commitment to advocating for the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. We envision a world where every individual, regardless of their physical condition, is afforded equal opportunities and treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. Discrimination against persons with disabilities must be eradicated, and together, we can strive towards building a more inclusive and compassionate society.
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