“To be disabled in Nigeria is to be undesirable, unwelcome and unaccepted.”
Those were the exact words of Adebola Daniel, the son of former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel and wheelchair user, while detailing the inhumane treatment he got at the Lagos branch of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), a fast food restaurant, on Wednesday.
Daniel, who took to X to share his experience, said that, because of his disability, he was made to feel “less than human, like a guard dog not allowed into the house”.
“Being disabled often rolls over my spirit, leaving behind a trail of shattered dignity and forgotten humanity. Nowhere more so than in Nigeria,” he wrote on X.
“To be a disabled in Nigeria is to be undesirable, unwelcome and unaccepted. As I’ve said before, it’s a lonely, scary and isolated place. Never has this been more true than it has ever been today where I faced the worst sort of public humiliation that I have ever experienced. To think that this happened at an international brand, KFC at an international airport – Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos – is unthinkable,” he said.
The KFC restaurant at the airport
He explained that after all the necessary documentation had been concluded at the airport ahead of his Virgin Atlantic flight to London, he decided to pass the time, alongside his wife and siblings, at the KFC restaurant while waiting for the flight.
However, he was in for a shock, as the female manager at the restaurant humiliated him, saying wheelchairs and users were not permitted on the premises of the KFC. She also demanded that they leave immediately, according to Daniel.
He wrote: “Years ago, after all security and immigration formalities have been completed, I would normally go to the OASIS lounge to wait for my flight. For the past 3 years, the lift to the lounge has been out of service so I’ve often found solace in other establishments, sometimes lounges, sometimes restaurants such as KFC.
“Today I chose KFC – what a colossal mistake. I entered the restaurant with 4 other travel companions, consisting of my brothers and wife. The security personnel at KFC, Samuel, greeted me by name as I’ve been there multiple times. Just as we were about to sit, the lady at the till – who was apparently the manager – called out loudly, ‘No wheelchairs allowed’
“Our group paused in confusion, before my brother, Taiwo, asked what she meant. She refused to listen to reason and stood her ground that at the KFC, Murtala Muhammed branch, wheelchairs and wheelchair users of all shapes and sizes were not permitted on the premises and we should leave immediately.“
Daniel said that despite efforts from other people at the restaurant to wade into the situation, the lady maintained that KFC was averse to wheelchairs on its premises.
“My siblings and wife became instantly irate and proceeded to debate her position with her, ultimately cumulating in raised voices and strong verbal protests. If there’s one thing I hate more than anything in this life is to create a scene. I detest it. I do not like to draw attention to myself and as such I began pleading with my people that we should just leave,” said Daniel.
“My wife took some video footage and my brothers took some pictures. There were at least 5 other witnesses at the scene, who tried to intervene as things unfolded. Eventually, our party departed to another lounge upset and quite frankly pissed off.
“Normally I would let these things slide but not today. When calmer heads prevailed, my wife and brother – Mayowa – went back and under the guise of buying some food and while audio recording, she questioned the lady again and the lady reiterated her position that the business does not allow wheelchairs into their premises.“
The manager, according to Daniel, mentioned that KFC was strict about its “no wheelchairs allowed” rule. For Daniel, this sort of prejudiced rule brings to bear similar discriminatory practices in history.
“She stated that although she recently just transferred to that branch, it is something that has been drummed into them. No wheelchairs allowed. It harkens back to dark periods in recent history. No wheelchairs allowed. No coloureds allowed. No blacks allowed,” he said.
“Today, I felt less than human, like a guard dog not allowed into the house. Lonely and isolated. I will continue to escalate this exponentially until I get a reasonable resolution and there is no stopping me. You cannot treat people this way. There are approximately 27 million Nigerians living with some form of disability. That’s over 13% of the country. 1 in 6 people on the planet are disabled. You must not treat people this way.
“So my question to KFC is simple. Does this represent your approach to disabled customers or will you be looking into this? Am I not human enough for KFC?”
FIJ emailed KFC Nigeria regarding the issue, but no response has been received. A message sent to the restaurant via Instagram is also yet to yield a response
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN) in its reaction through the public affairs department said its currently investigating the issue and has met with the management of @kfcnigeria. The agency said it shall work with all parties involved to ensure compliance with set guidelines.
Credit : Foundation for investigative Journalism
