Thread by @ogundamisi

My name is Kayode @ogundamisi and the following thread is personal, it is not political, it is something I always do not want to talk about, or too embarrassed to acknowledge, but that changed last night during a conversation with my 12 year old daughter. It is about #Dyslexia

I started my formal education at Command Children School Ikeja Cantonment in Nigeria. Dad was in the Army as an 'order rank' but determined to have me attend the prestigious CCS meant for Senior @HQNigerianArmy officers got his boss then Major Dasilva to enrol me as his own son

Dad did not want me to attend Army Children School (basically for 'other ranks" Staff Sergeants down to Private in the Nigerian Army' he would pay my school fees (*More than half is salary) directly into Major Dasilva's account. That was how I ended up being in Command Ikeja.

Command Children School had upper class,elite military officers, in class we had a Children of a former and then Head of State, kids of most members of the ruling Armed Forces, Generals etc. I did not fit in, always skiving to Army Children School in the same Cantonment #Dyslexia

My head teacher at Command Children School was so kind, she would always get soldiers attached to Command to go fish me out from Army Children School Ikeja opposite the Mammy Market. So I spent half of my term in Command, other half roaming around Army Children School #Dyslexia

Though Command Children School was 'cool' we had 'FAN milk' 'Gala' and all sort of exotic food, we even had tea in our hall with PEAK MILK supplied, Piano in the hall, even 'White teachers' my heart was always in Army Children School, authentic and represented my social reality.

I managed to complete my education at Command Children School but that was where I first had the word #Dyslexia
Mrs Kukoyi would describe a few of us as being "dyslectic" it never made sense to me, never bothered to find out what it meant. Was not really interested in Command.

In spite of my truancy at Command Children School, I was famous for being a good debater, goal keeper and 'the go to by the "ajeboters" for all the thrilling news in our "ajepako" world. I gained admission into Command Secondary School Ipaja Dad could not afford Command Sec Sch

Unity Party of Nigeria won election in Lagos, that was the party of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, has part of the parties policy on education. Jakande who was Lagos Gov took over all missionary schools and Dad enrolled me in the first Muslim School in West Africa Anwar Ul Islam College

Anwar Ul Islam College formerly Ahmadiyya College was established in 1948 before UPN threw it open, it was mainly available 4 elite Muslims and very few Christians, but with the new policy I enrolled, my mum being muslim and my dad a none practicing Christian. Education was FREE

At Anwar Ul Islam College I was fortunate to have an environment thanks to Jakande and Awolowo that broke social barriers, I had no inhibitions, I was a guy from an 'ajepako' background, who attended an 'ajebota' school and had the best of both worlds. I became a star from Form 1

In College I never heard the word #Dyslexia
I did well in school, amongst top 3 in class from form 1-5 in Literature, Government History.
Despite representing my school and Lagos state in debates and defeating top schools like Kings College in finals my writing was very poor.

I would take notes in class, go home and unable to read my own note. I had to rely on school mates who lived in our neighbourhood to read notes they had taken and then go into exams. My main English teacher Mrs Oladipupo never gave up on me. Sat for WAEC A2 in Lit and A3 IN Eng

From College I proceeded to Fed Polytechnic Nassarawa, then University of Jos with a degree in Political Science and then, then a diploma in Journalism at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and masters in Public Admin from Ogun State. Not a word on #Dyslexia never mentioned.

When I moved to the UK having lived in Holland and Germany I decided to go for a Masters in International Relations, got admitted, wrote my first assignment and my Professor called me into his office and suggested I go for #Dyslexia Screening Assessment. Mrs Kukoyi's words echoed

I took my Professors advise and went for a #Dyslexia Screening Assessment. What was identified by my primary school head teacher, never mentioned in secondary school, never came up at UNIJOS or OSU became real. It was confirmed that I had some form of #Dyslexia and need support

My university in London gave me all the support needed and I graduated with a another Masters in International Relations.
How we view and treat #Dyslexia in Nigeria needs to change,
We can not keep applying the 'Koboko' solution if a child shows slow signs of progress in school

In today's world assistive technology products and services are available to support people with dyslexia and those with other forms of disabilities.
#Dyslexia isn't a disease, it is is a learning disability related with slow reading, writing, and occasionally speaking skills.

Education Ministry in Nigeria hopefully should have a training programme that will equip teachers to identify kids with #Dyslexia
A number of great people in our world are Dyslectic and it did not stop them from being great and impactful in our society. Our attitude must change

But for that conversation with my daughter, My #Dyslexia assessment test, result and help I got would just have been my little secret, but if my thread here will help just one parent, one person, then my world is made.
To learn more about #Dyslexia just type the word on @Google