DEAF AND THEIR MANAGERS

DEAF AND THEIR MANAGERS

Deaf are people with hearing/speech loss but who are their managers?

Sign Language Interpreters and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) for the Deaf are the Deaf managers.

Sign Language Interpreters are those with the knowledge of the Deaf Sign Language, bridging communication gap between the Deaf and hearing communities while the Non-Governmental Organizations are the caretakers.

The main purpose of this write-up is to advocate against the opportunists who are exploiting the Deaf and the society in the name of being Deaf Managers.

Being a sign language interpreter isn’t an access to the Deaf remote control; taking yourself as a panjandrum in the Deaf community is deleterious. Instead, create impacts; groom the Deaf to be great assets in the society. The interpretation service should be taken as extra-activity and God’s calling.

Sign Language Interpretation should be a service rendered willingly to break communication barrier between the Deaf and hearing and not for profit making except employed by the Government or private institutions, to be positioned at establishments.

A Sign Language Interpreter invited by the Deaf to help bridge communication gap towards bettering Deaf livelihood should expect nothing from the Deaf, it should be a selfless service. Expecting compensation from the struggling set of people is like frustrating life out of them.

Why should you exploit the Deaf just because you are bridging communication gap? It shouldn’t be a self-acclaimed job, stop being an opportunist, instead, get a job/business doing like your hearing counterparts.

Imagine a situation where an interpreter charged surfeit to interpret at a wedding of a Deaf couple, the Deaf who want everything to look succinct will out of their lack look for the fund to pay the interpreter. What a knavery attitude! Such happened when they are invited to interpret at meetings and programmes, they will always expect the struggling Deaf to compensate them.

We’ve recorded cases where some sign language interpreters reluctantly respond whenever invited to come render the interpretation service because they won’t be compensated. Why not take it as a service to God and humanity.

At a prayer session God organized by using me during our 2017 Redeemed Christian Church of God convention, though I can use the sign language but because we have hearing brethren within, I have to speak aloud, using the sign language while speaking will slow me down and will be confusing for the hearing to assimilate as the spoken English doesn’t jibe with the Sign Language and, the Deaf brethren were many, the plan was to circle round me, thought, some might not be able to see me therefore, I invited six interpreters who presented themselves available to interpret while I speak but they were reluctant, they felt am not in the kind of position to invite them to interpret since am also among those they are helping to bridge communication gap, four tactically ran away, had only two out of the six who considered the situation and stayed. The question is why are you around the Deaf when you can’t be there for the Deaf wholeheartedly?

Why should you be a detractor begrudging a Deaf because of his/her capabilities instead of rendering helping hands to accelerate the capabilities?

There are sign language interpreters who only stand on stage to showcase relevancy not minding if the Deaf are really assimilating what he/she is communicating as the sign language being used isn’t in jibe with what the Deaf can assimilate. A lollygag which is nettlesome.

Parent of the Deaf are advised to be watchful, meet with the appropriate quarters, especially the Deaf association to get a qualified sign language interpreter for your child for the needed pedagogy. Not every interpreter that approached you, swinging fingers is qualified. We are even to be selective towards our Deaf schools which are dens of unqualified teachers. Wise-up, don’t be exploited.

As a sign language interpreter, always make sure you are being understood, learn the proper Deaf Sign Language (American Sign Language) and not the Exact English until our Nigerian Sign Language is launched.

As a sign language interpreter, take not the service as a job instead, take it as a service to God and humanity, let compensations comes naturally, stop lurking around the Deaf for daily bread, get something doing like your hearing counterparts.

Compensations received from programme organizers shouldn’t be taken for granted and a must for the Deaf to follow suit, avoid being an opportunist.

You can join the professional field by seeking for employment to be sign language interpreters at establishments or teachers of the Deaf and not the lurking around for instant wealth.

Am sure you are aware of the advocacy going on for every hearing person to acquire sign language skill, the question is, will you still be relevant when that is achieved? My brother/sister, go get something doing and stop the exploitation.

To the Non-Governmental Organizations who have found solace in exploiting the society by falsely claiming to be catering for the Deaf/people with disabilities while you are just an opportunist inveigling the disability community and the society, the Deaf/people with disabilities have been your channel of blessing, just remember, every day is for the thief and just a day for the owner, God is watching and nemesis will surely catch-up with you any moment.

A clarion call on the society to be watchful, follow up the programmes for which you disbursed fund. Meet with the people at the receiving end.

I remain me, F.F.F, an advocate/paladin for Deaf cause towards bettering our livelihood; I won’t rest until we manumit our Deaf community, following suit with Buhari government. CHANGE BEGIN WITH YOU.

  

Adeosun Olufemi Ebenezer (a.k.a F.F.F)

Secretary General, Ogun State Association of the Deaf

Co-Founder, Uplifting Empowerment Foundation for the Deaf Youth

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