Agbaje: Nigeria Must Move Beyond Autism Awareness to Practical Support for Families, Schools
Funmi Ogundare
Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), Mr. Segun Agbaje, yesterday, called for a shift in Nigeria’s autism advocacy, from creating awareness to equipping families, schools, and workplaces with the skills needed to support and cope with people living on the autism spectrum.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the two-day 16th edition of GTCO’s Autism Conference in Lagos, themed, “Acceptance in Action,” Agbaje stated that the organisation’s 16-year advocacy campaign had largely succeeded in breaking the culture of denial surrounding autism.
He stressed that the next challenge was ensuring meaningful support and inclusion for affected individuals and their families.
Addressing the theme of the conference, Agbaje said while the ideal of full acceptance was commendable, the realities faced by many people living with autism made it a far more complex issue.
He stated, “I think that over a 16-year period, we have done a decent job of creating awareness.
“Today, more families are willing to acknowledge that they have children or adults living on the spectrum, even if they do not fully understand why.”
According to him, increasing awareness has also led to the discovery of older adults, including people in their 50s, who are only now realising that they may have been on the autism spectrum after years of struggling academically and socially without a diagnosis.
Agbaje said while society continued to advocate acceptance, greater emphasis should be placed on helping families and communities learn how to live with and support people on the spectrum.
He explained, “For me, after awareness, I would have thought that learning how to cope and learning how to live with people on the spectrum is the next thing we have to deal with.”
He acknowledged that integrating individuals with autism into every workplace might not always be feasible, explaining that the level of support required differed from one individual to another.
He added, “There will be a lot of people who cannot work in Guaranty Trust simply because it would be too difficult for them and too difficult for the organisation.
“There will also be others who can. What we must do is learn how to live with people on the spectrum and help them cope.”
The GTCO chief described autism advocacy as a journey without a destination, stating that although progress has been made in awareness and support, there is still no cure for autism.
He explained that the focus should remain on improving understanding, strengthening support systems, and helping families navigate the challenges associated with the condition.
He said, “Until we find a cure, it remains a journey. The journey means we will understand better what we are dealing with. It means we will teach people how to cope better.
“But I do not see a destination yet.”
Agbaje emphasised that neither he nor the organisers claimed to fully understand the experiences of people living with autism or their caregivers, but reaffirmed GTCO’s commitment to making the journey easier through sustained advocacy, education and support.
He stated, “Our responsibility is to try to make the journey a little easier for you, to educate you, help you cope and help you deal with it. I hope that over the next two days, we will, in our own little way, make this journey a little easier for you.”
The event featured panel sessions by experts on relevant topics, including, “Bridging the gap between today’s reality and tomorrow’s promise for autism acceptance,” “Practical caregiver strategies for communication, regulation and daily routine,” “Behaviour speaks: Listen, Understand it, Take Action: Using simple Functional assessment in homes and classrooms.”