Adamu Aminu, 35, was crippled by polio at seven years. He had to cope with difficulties of living a normal life unlike other healthy children in his village. As he grew older, his desire was to become a lawyer. But that was not to be realised, no thanks to his disability. He could not make the long distance from his village to the nearest secondary school in Birnin Kudu, Kano State.

Aminu found his way to Abuja, to "try my luck in life." He was disappointed as he realised that the situation was no different in the city.

"I found out that disabled persons suffer all forms of depriv-ation, discrimination and exclusion. They even face difficulties moving around the city," he said.

Aminu's experience is no better than those of several million Nigerians who suffer one form of disability or the other. Globally, there are an estimated 650 million persons with disabilities, and they share similar experiences.

To compel its member nations to ameliorate the sufferings of these persons and bring succour to them, the U.N. General Assembly last week unanimously endorsed a treaty to promote and protect the rights of disabled persons.

The "Convention On The Rights of Persons with Disabilities" was negotiated in August last year. It was jointly promoted by the member states and a coalition of 70 international, regional and national organisations.

Nigeria's foreign affairs minister Joy Ogwu chaired the signing ceremony and endorsed both the Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and the optional protocol of persons with disabilities.

The treaty forbids member nations to discriminate against persons with disabilities in all areas of life, especially employment, education, health services, transportation and access to justice.

To ensure its implementation, the U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, urged member nations and their national legislatures to domesticate the provisions of the Convention.

This is to guarantee the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities.

"Ratification has to be followed by vigorous implementation and over-sight at the national and local levels. Only then will the real ben-efits of this legislation be felt by millions of people with disabilities throughout the world," Migiro said.

For Ogwu, the Convention would serve as a catalyst for development in Nigeria. This is because the army of disabled persons in the country constitute a reservoir of talents.

Analysts say Nigeria would be expected to set example to other nations, especially in Africa by implementing the Convention.

Ogwu must have had this in mind when she told U.N. correspondents that Nigeria was already set to enact a legislation to deal with all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities.

She said that the National Assembly was in the process of finalising a "disability law", and gave assurance that when passed, the law would safeguard disabled persons against all forms of discriminations.

Ogwu also said that a National Commission for Persons with Disability would be established to monitor the implementation of the legislation.

Views have also been expressed for adequate legislation against stereotypes and prejudices, and the need to promote awareness on the capabilities of persons with disabilities to contribute to national development.

Mr Timothy Gugong, a soc-iology teacher at the Kaduna State University, said that domestication of the Convention should also focus on "antiquated cultures" that compelled parents to separate from their disabled children.

"By ratifying the convention, Nigeria is reaffirming that every human being has the inherent right to life. And it should take all necessary measures to ensure its effective enjoyment by persons with disabilities on equal basis," Gugong said.

He called for the provision of special computers and communication gadgets for the blind and other visually impaired persons, and the introduction of interpreters on television news broadcast for the deaf and dumb.

But Haruna Abu, a handicapped GSM service operator, wants government to adopt affirmative action by setting aside an employment quota for the disabled.

"The society looks at us with contempt and it is up to government to ensure we get a fair treatment by enacting and enforcing the necessary legislation," he said.

The legislation, he opined, should ensure the provision of special lanes during road construction for the disabled.

"We do not have to struggle for right of way with our physically strong compatriots," Abu said.

Aminu Shekarau, an ex-soldier who lost his limbs in battle, urged government to go beyond rhetoric and take necessary action to make life worth living for such as him.

But 21-year-old Habibu Jibrin advised disabled persons against depending on government for everything.

"I play para-soccer to earn some thing for myself. I expect every other disabled person to think of what to do to earn a living," he said.

Jibrin, however, commended government for introducing and encouraging all kinds of paralytic games to make life useful for people like him.

As cheerful as the U.N. Conv-ention on the rights of disabled per-son might be, it is the responsibility of national governments to ensure that its provisions are domesticated and implemented to the letter.

In Nigeria, the army of disabled persons quite often constitute a sorry sight in most urban areas. Proper and adequate schemes are therefore needed to resettle and rehabilitate them, especially their young ones.

Like Yannis Vardakastanis of the U.S. International Disability Caucus said, the pact should bring real changes in the daily lives of people living with disabilities, by helping to take away obstacles.