How I Learnt Bead Making Through Mere Observation – Disabled 13-Year-old Boy

By Sola Jacobs

Inspite of his disability in both hands and young age, Sultan AbdulRahman, 13-year-old JSSII students of Ogidan Middle School in Osogbo refused to budge, as he confidently walked in to Osun Defender office at Ogo-Oluwa area in Osogbo, Osun State capital and requested to be patronized for his wares.

When asked about what he sells in curiosity, he quickly let out of his nylon bag, sets of bead accessories he made to sell.

Sultan who claimed to be living with his grand mother at Kobo Area in Osogbo said, he did not learn the bead and wireworks making from anyone, he just observed it, tried it and it worked.

When he was asked with amazement how he managed to do the vocational work despite his disability, or is it the case that he market for someone, he affirmed, “I am not marketing for anybody, I did it. Some are N1000, some are N1,300” as he displayed his designed wares for people to see.

In his account, he was born on May 2005 to Mr Abdulrahman and Kafayat Abdulrahman. His father is from Atoyebi compound, but he seldom lives with his mum as he had another wive in Ilorin.

Sultan had three other siblings and his mother solely cares for them, he said.

He attended Tahwun Nursery and Primary school, in Atelewo in Osogbo and currently he is in JSSII at

Ogidan Middle School in Osogbo.

Kafayat, Sultan mother sells provision and she loves to invest in her children’s education.

According to Sultan, “I only learn making bead through observation, as I always go to one Mama Daniel bead centre located at Oja Oba in Osogbo to buy materials where I systematically observe and try same when I get back home”.

“I was fascinated by various designs of bead which makes me a regular caller; even when I am going to school and coming back, I deliberately makes it an habit to stop over and watch her doing her business”.

Queried on how he was able to garner money to start bead making, he said, “I started with the money I realized from daily contribution (Ajo) out of the money given to me to eat in school. So I started with N2,000 I collect as my portion and bought beads and wire from Mama Daniel.

“I made one and showed it to her and she nodded that I got it right, then I had continued in the making of bead accessories and sell to people at various occasions”, he said.

It is however clear in the appearances of the young Sultan that he needs a lot of help,, but one amazing thing about him is that he is not interested in begging for money, his plea was that he wants people to patronize him to encourage him to do more and makes it a source of living regardless of age or disability.

He said he is interested in becoming an entrepreneur that would make impact through his vocation.

To invest in a child like Sultan would definitely not be a waste for any well-meaning individual or government, as he has the potential to showcase which would serve as an empowerment for him.