Eloka On The Eclectic (2026)

So join us as together, we embark on this journey towards making life-changing discoveries.

30/05/2026

Meet Awashima Atu, a brilliant young woman who lost her sight in 2019. Filled with dreams and aspirations, she had no idea that just as she concluded her higher education and waiting for her Youth Service, her life was about to take a turn, but not the kind of turn a promising young woman would expect.
I met Awashima in 2021 during a six-months Gender and Disability-Based Violence Fellowship with IFA. For a woman who acquired her impairment only two years prior to our meeting, I must admit that her period of acceptance and adaptation was remarkably fast. But Awashima’s story of her life’s journey is hers to tell. So, I’ll skip that part and go straight to the crux of this piece.
I have maintained that with the right type of support and an enabling environment, persons with disabilities can thrive. Seven years after she lost her sight, Awashima is currently in Ireland where she is taking part in the Ireland Fellows Programme. But the purpose of this video is not to say that White Cane users in Nigeria cannot navigate the road independently, it is to show how much more difficult such a fit is to achieve in our country, what with the bad roads, manholes, motorists not respecting walkways meant for pedestrians and so on. I know this for a fact because as a White Cane user myself, navigating the streets of Abuja independently is as challenging as it gets. Even with the aid of my Google map.
Also meet Lucky Pastor who lost his sight in 2004. Take a look at the contrast in this video of Awashima in Ireland, and Lucky in Abuja which I have both their consent to share. The difference is so clear. My message here is that whenever you see a person with visual impairment on the road, please ask if they need help crossing the road or getting through a rough path if you can spare the time to be of a little assistance. I find it strange that other road users would see a White Cane user, and instead of offering assistance, they start offering very unhelpful advice.
Disability My experience: Episode5
Eloka Oduah

25/04/2026

What is the cost of inclusion?
Sometimes, all it cost is an open mind and a willingness to be accommodating. I recall when I went to seek for admission at Veritas University Abuja, my dad and I paid the registrar a visit just to find out if the school will be willing to offer me admission should I sit for and pass the Post UTME. All the registrar wanted to know was how I was going to participate and learn in the classroom. He was willing to give me a chance, provided I could prove to him that I could do it. Having satisfactorily explained and demonstrated to him how I was going to effectively operate my computer as a screen reader user, he assured us that if I pass the Post UTME, I will be offered admission and the school will do everything possible to support my education.
Twelve years later, here I am, a man with multiple experience, a Disability Inclusion Facilitator, Programme Officer, Computer Instructor for the blind, Voice Over Artist, Fellow Legislative Mentorship Initiative, and host of The Eclectic Podcast to mention few.
It is important for us to realise that while it is true that disability inclusion can be quite expensive, it is also true that sometimes, all that is required is a positive attitude towards disability. For me, of all the barriers faced by persons with disabilities, negative attitude is the most challenging and difficult to remove. This is because you are battling against a belief system, a set of orientation that has been built overtime, and it will take as much time, if not more, to change mindsets sufficiently to have any chance of changing the narrative and wrong stereotypes about persons with disabilities. The notion that persons with disabilities cannot live a happy and fulfilled life is consistently debunked daily by the achievements of persons with disabilities all over the world.
With an open mind and the right type of support, persons with disabilities can be as impactful as persons without disabilities. I’d like to use this opportunity to thank Rev. Fr. Peter Okonkwo who was the registrar at the time and Prof. Michael Kwanashi who was the Vice Chancellor for giving me the opportunity to thrive, rather than writing me off without the benefit of doubt.
Others worthy of mention, are the entire staff and management of Veritas University Abuja, especially lecturers in the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy who ensured that I participated fully in all academic activities. Not forgetting my course mates and friends from other departments. Special mention Gideon Dunioh, a great personality. I cannot end this without saying a very big thank you to Mrs. Abiodum for letting me use her office to study all through my stay. That reasonable accommodation provided by her contributed immensely to my success.
Disability My experience: Episode4
Eloka Oduah

20/04/2026

What if inclusion isn’t the goal… but building your own table is?
This week on The Eclectic, we sit down with Chad Harper, a music producer and advocate who’s redefining what it means to live and thrive with a disability.
Chad shares a bold perspective: “Don’t wait for a seat at the table. Build your own.”
🎧 Listen now https://open.spotify.com/episode/52aTDBdDrI2lcrNECULck9?si=K_VHNDxTR8KnbeZ_NPTjBQ%0A or read 📖 https://docs.google.com/document/d/17GusWKco22AmuxOODEWtv0WFd7vOg72M/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102186582647928362400&rtpof=true&sd=true
Image Description
The poster has a black background. To the left is a photo of Chad Harper, who is a black man with glasses and a beard. He is wearing a hat and a suit with a bowtie. At the bottom are the logos of The Eclectic Podcast and the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy

27/03/2026

Drum rolls everyone 🥁 🪘 🥁 🪘
It gives me so much pleasure to be moderating this session tomorrow. If I were you, I would quickly register and mark my calendar because this conversation promises to be educative, informative, and every other "tive" that you know 🤣 😂. Excluding all negative "tives." The link and photo description will be in the comment section. See you tomorrow at 5pm Nigerian time

15/02/2026

We talk a lot about disability… but we rarely talk about the mental health of persons with disabilities.
In our latest episode of The Eclectic Podcast, I’m joined by mental health expert and disability advocate Nisha Jose as we unpack an important truth:
“Good mental health isn’t about being happy all the time, it’s about the ability to cope, connect, and recover.”
We discuss stigma, overprotection, autonomy, identity, relationships, and why psychological inclusion matters just as much as physical accessibility.
I invite you to listen, reflect, and share with your network.
🔊 Listen now https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Rx8reNwfE8pGoBjzKbcZu?si=o6owBTjqRCezzkbTMkSWLQ or read 📖 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XpRaikcqokju6x4fWLgkknS2wVjJIba-/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102186582647928362400&rtpof=true&sd=true
Join the conversation and advocate for mental health around you
Image Description:
The poster has a blue background. In the center, from left to right, is a photo of an older person in a wheelchair looking up at a younger female caregiver. They are in an outdoor setting and you can see the blurred image of green trees in the background. At the bottom are the logos of The Eclectic Podcast and the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy.

07/12/2025

su***de and mental health struggles among persons with disabilities are often hidden under layers of stigma, silence, and societal misunderstanding. Join the conversation.
The Eclectic Podcast
Hosted By Rotarian Eloka Oduah
Understanding Su***de,
Psychological Inflexibility and the Search for Meaning Among People With Disability
Chidozie Obianyo
Postgraduate Student of Psychology
🎧 Listen now https://open.spotify.com/episode/1r0Y5U3fndtWNaIop8duGy?si=XkE6nkPdR6Wy-W1vZZdnxg or read 📖 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-ak0Y0ivG6YjcxR65qHYy6O4C63GIf3A/view?usp=sharing
Image Description
The poster has a blue background. To the left is a side-view photo of a woman looking to the left, silhouetted against a lit, pastel-coloured background. At the bottom is the logo of the Eclectic Podcast and the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy

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