Segun Bamidele, popularly known as 'Dr. Sege,' is cripple, who rather beg for alms, makes a living building wheel-chairs and motorcycles for other physically challenged people like him. Weekly Trust looks at why this amazing 50-year-old is a household name in parts of Kwara State.

His popularity is intimidating. His fame in his domain is second to none. He is a man who has brought to fore inbuilt ingenuity, resourcefulness and creativity in many Nigerians. For him, disability isnot a liability. Though fate has put him in that condition, he believes it is not a death sentence or an excuse not to explore the abundant opportunities life offers even for individuals with physical challenges.

This is the story of Mr. Segun Bamidele, a 50-year-old man with disability, who builds wheel-chairs and motorcycles for those who lost their limbs through accidents, amputations or natural occurrences.Not only that, he also builds 'articulated motorcycles' for farmers in rural communitiesto transport their farm produce. For his ingenuity, Dr. Sege, as he is fondly called, has etched his name in gold in his community, the state and outside the shores of Kwara; and he is living a good life and making waves in spite his disability.

"He is famously known everywhere in Iludun Oro where he lives and has his workshop. Everybody sees him and marvels at his creativity, skills and the wonderful life he lives. Once you get to Iludun Oro and ask anybody that you are going to Dr Sege's shop, you would be directed without much ado," says a resident of the town Abdulganiyu Mukaila." Dr Sege is seen as a special creation, whom God has given the rare gift to make a difference in this community and has challenged people like him who see their condition as an excuse to beg for alms."

Narrating his story to Weekly Trust, Bamidele said he originally learnt shoe-making but along the line, driven by passion to assist people with disability, he veered into making wheel-chairs for limbless and lame people within and outside his immediate environment.

"I started making wheel-chairs and disabled motorcycles eight years ago. This was borne out of my burning desire to assist people in my condition. Those of us who have lost our legs are often faced with the challenge of getting wheel-chairs to enable us move around and do one or two things. They are hardly handy because they are mostly imported from abroad," says Bamidele.

"I now ruminated over it and decided to try the venture. To God be the glory, it is a success story today. We now design the wheel-chairs locally in Iludun Oro here for public consumption," he adds with a sense of accomplishment.

The lame 50-year-old is doing this despite the fact that he was never an apprentice at any motorcycle workshop. This, he adds: "is just a gift from God. Like I said, I only learnt shoe making but somehow I just started making wheel-chairs and God has been making it easy for me." Bamidele, who has six teenage boys as apprentices, saidthe wheel-chairs and motorcycles he makes are stronger and more durable than the imported ones. His story also exemplifies commitment, dedication, and diligence in addition to his burning desire to impact on people's lives. This is because he usually rides his bike to Ilorin, the state capital, which is about an hour's drive, to buy materials while he travels to Lagos frequently to buy tyres and rims.

"I normally travel to Lagos because I get some of the materials cheaper over there than in Ilorin," he explains.On the patronage he gets from the public, Bamidele says: "To God be the glory, I get patronage from members of the public from time to time asking me to make wheel chairs for them."

He said he once received a contract from the government of Niger to make 24 wheel-chairs, while Kwara State through its Ministry of Social Development, Culture and Tourism, contracted him to make 12 wheel-chairs which were distributed to physically challenged people. The wheel-chairs sold for N50,000 each, he said, adding that the price could be reduced with high demand.

However, Bamidele, who is married with four children, called on government for more support and patronage: "This project requires huge amounts of money and with financial support from government; I can make many wheel-chairs and motorcycles to aid mobility for the lame. So, capital is the major challenge confronting me. I appeal to state governments, individuals and non-governmental organisations to patronise me."

Dr Sege adds: "The skills and expertise are there, the ingenuity and the commitment is what is driving me and I believe with assistance from everybody, I can do better."

On how he became crippled, he says: "It started from birth, I was born with it. I will simply say it is natural because when I was young, my parents tried everything possible to correct it. They visited various hospitals and clinics all to no avail, but I thank God because I am not useless. I can still make a difference despite my condition."

He urged other physically challenged individuals in the society to learn a vocation or try to build on their talents: "I want to believe that everybody has talent. We should try and see what we can do instead of going out to beg. For me, I do not see any dignity in begging. If one is not lazy, one can still make impact in the society."