- But what’s the legality of FAAN’s sanction?
“Today, I felt less than human, like a guard dog not allowed into the house. Lonely and isolated…To be disabled in Nigeria is to be undesirable, unwelcome and unaccepted…” Adebola Daniel.
By Lillian Okenwa
The plight of persons living with disabilities in Nigeria made headlines and trended on social media for many days after Adebola Daniel, a son of an ex-Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel and wheelchair user was told: “NO Wheel Chairs Allowed!” by a manager of a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on Wednesday 2, March, 2024.
Although the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has closed down the KFC outlet, Adebola Daniel’s humiliation and discrimination has sparked off debates and lively conversations.
Below are the contributions of some Nigerians in The Rule of Law-Nigeria (RoL) WhatsApp platform to the conversation.
Charles Okeibunor, Lawyer, relational skills and Managing workplace conflicts trainer:
“NO Wheel Chairs Allowed!” The sentence above is costing KFC millions of naira daily at their MMIA Outlet in Lagos, Nigeria.
For starters, the value of a KFC franchise is about N45,000,000 and start-up cost of an outlet is in excess of N300,000,000 in addition to a 12% commission for all sales which go to the franchise.
Can you then imagine leaving this huge investment at the mercy of an unguided statement?
Emotional Intelligence and Communication Skills are not just courses, they are life skills. These two life skills also save organizations two things that determine whether they are in business or not.
1. Money
2. Reputation
If a business loses money and loses its reputation, what is left to lose? The story is that a gentleman in a wheelchair chose to hang out at KFC while awaiting his flight to London. Upon sighting him at the entrance, a supervisor exclaimed “NO Wheel Chairs Allowed.”
She followed her announcement with a defence that it was company policy and an insistence that they leave. Mr Debola the victim in this case, reported the incident on social media, leading to the shutdown of the outlet for being in violation of Lagos state laws for people with disabilities.
Ironically, the more demand increases for professionals to be emotionally intelligent, the less training they get. Thereby exposing the businesses, they represent to avoidable losses and sometimes irreversible reputational damage.
A few questions?
1. What is the business case of denying wheelchair users from using an eatery? I have never heard it before.
2. Assuming there was no law against discrimination of people with disabilities, is there a better way she could have communicated the policy?
3. What role would empathy have played in this case and if you were the supervisor on duty how could you have handled this situation? “
Kelechi Arikibe, a Chartered accountant:
This is a great write pointing out, especially the 2 key most important words. Emotional intelligence and communication skills and the total inclusion of disabilities in company policies.
Almost or most of the organizations abroad prioritize people with disabilities. Joining a new organization, the first thing is to undertake the company’s training, especially on the importance of recognizing people with disabilities. But in Nigeria, we see them as nothing.
I do not blame the supervisor because she is acting on the company instructions, otherwise, she would have lost her job. It is high time organizations begin to send and train their staff on emotional intelligence and communication skills. This also transcends to our homes. How we react to things, how we communicate when things happen. They are natural skills that everyone should possess.
The news went viral because it affected a highly placed son. Do, you know how many of these that have happened and nobody cared even at our airport? Nobody cares.
As per KFC, I think it is a Nigeria mentality. Anything goes. They can’t try this abroad. They will be heavily charged. But nobody cares attitude and anything goes is affecting the country.
You go to the airport and lifts are not working and no consideration for disabled people. Nobody cares.
Charles Okeibunor: I agree with you.
I bought a ticket to Abuja earlier in the month. It was to be the first flight because my meeting was for 9 am. The airline moved the flight to 10 am. I panicked and bought another ticket for 6.50 am.
When I returned from my trip, I requested a refund, they told me it would take 4 weeks! I asked why, the lady said “Company Policy” 😊
Why are Nigerians past caring about their rights?
1. Poverty
2. Ignorance
3. Laziness
4. Fear
5. Distrust in the justice system
6. Or what?
Saka Azimazi a lawyer:
The gross violation of human rights labelled company policy in KFC is a reminder of the weak human rights regime in Nigeria. Public buildings still lack disability access across board throughout Nigeria. And the institutions concerned are all asleep.
Just last week, we had a program to which persons with disabilities were invited as our organization’s policy. The hired hall was on the 2nd floor. The hotel had a lift that its doors were so narrow that wheelchairs couldn’t get into. Three such persons had to return home. After lambasting the hotel managers (which legally means nothing), I insisted those who suffered this indignity be refunded their cost of transport even before the programme ended. I also asked that a formal letter of apology be sent to them that very day. We need to grow up in Nigeria
Charles Okeibunor: I suppose it should be a showcase session at every conference.
Architects
Surveyors
Lawyers
Doctors
Managers
Developers
Town planners
Approving authorities
Etc
All such persons should know that you don’t build houses without taking persons with disability into consideration. If you don’t remember them, then, forget about approvals.
Dele Aloko, Lawyer and Business Executive:
I see 3 issues here.
1. The discriminatory action of the KFC (Franchisee) Employee
2. The appropriateness/legality of the sanction by FAAN.
3. General question of discrimination against PLWD in Nigeria and how they are protected.
On the first issue, excluding persons with disabilities from patronizing a business is clearly discriminatory and a breach of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disability (Prohibition) Act – AKA Disability Act. There is no circumstance under which that action can be justified. Emotional Intelligence is therefore not an issue at all.
The Disability Act clearly prohibits such acts and prescribes penalties for infractions.
On the second issue, I think FAAN, in a typical Festus Keyamoish fashion, rushed to do the right thing in the wrong way.
I am almost 100% certain that there is nothing in the Concession Agreement that empowers FAAN to shut down the outlet over an issue like this. Their intervention should have been tied to the Disability Act and involved the prosecution of the offending organization.
It was also an opportunity to educate the employee, her employers and the general public on the value of diversity and inclusion. The knee-jerk reaction works for the airport outlet, but that is all.
4. Protection for PLWD is still very weak in general in Nigeria. The Disability Act establishes a National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, but I have not seen any evidence that they have started operating in terms of advocacy, education, regulation, enforcement, receiving complaints, etc. FAAN should have referred this case to them (if they are working effectively). They should require KFC to introduce a policy in all their outlets (not just the one at the airport) and also provide training for their staff.
