Agbaje: Nigeria Must Move Beyond Autism Awareness to Practical Support for Families, Schools

Segun Agbaje, Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), urged Nigeria to shift its focus on autism from mere awareness to equipping families, schools, and workplaces with the necessary skills to support individuals on the autism spectrum.

Speaking at the 16th GTCO Autism Conference in Lagos, themed “Acceptance in Action,” Agbaje noted that the organization's 16-year advocacy campaign has been successful in breaking the culture of denial surrounding autism. However, he stressed that the primary challenge now is to ensure tangible support and inclusion for affected individuals and their families.

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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.

"I think that over a 16-year period, we have done a decent job of creating awareness," Agbaje said. "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." He pointed out that increased awareness has led to the identification of older adults, some in their 50s, who are only now realizing they might be on the autism spectrum after years of academic and social struggles without a diagnosis.

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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.

Agbaje emphasized that while advocating for acceptance is important, greater focus should be placed on practical ways to help families and communities understand and support individuals on the spectrum. "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 stated.

He acknowledged that integrating individuals with autism into every workplace might not always be feasible due to varying support needs. "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 organization. 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," Agbaje added. He described autism advocacy as an ongoing journey, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement in understanding and support systems, as there is currently no cure for autism.

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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 organization. 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.