What does it mean to truly advocate for change? For Kenneth Echiche, advocacy transcends mere words; it embodies action and determination. As a person with a disability in Nigeria, Kenneth has faced systemic barriers head-on, transforming challenges into opportunities for impactful advocacy. Through his participation in the We Can Work program, he has harnessed knowledge and tools to influence employment policies and inspire fellow advocates. Join us as we explore Kenneth’s journey of building platforms and pushing boundaries in disability advocacy, demonstrating how one determined voice can ignite change and empower a movement.
For Kenneth, advocacy is not just a concept, it is action. As a person with a disability in Nigeria, he has faced systemic barriers but has chosen to confront them through persistent, evidence-based advocacy. A participant in the We Can Work program, Kenneth has used the knowledge and tools gained to influence employment policies, challenge ableist practices, and inspire fellow youth advocates to take their place in the movement.
Finding Platforms for Advocacy
“After the Youth Led Advocacy training, one of the first lessons I learned is that advocacy is a verb. You can’t just sit down waiting for platforms to come; you must create them,” Kenneth explains. While some advocates struggle with visibility, Kenneth leveraged opportunities from NGOs and pursued self-advocacy, ensuring that his voice was heard in spaces where decisions are made.
He also stresses the importance of focus: “You can’t carry everything on your head, health, employment, education, you’ll lose your power. Find your area of strength and do it well.” For him, that strength lies in employment advocacy.
Sharpening the Message
A pivotal learning moment for Kenneth came at a recent gender summit. Expecting 40 minutes to speak, he was instead given just three. “In that moment, I learned the power of the elevator pitch,” he recalls. “By distilling his points into two minutes, he left a lasting impact: media houses quoted him, his speech circulated widely on social media, and his message resonated beyond the event…Now, I know how to score my goal
in 30 seconds,” he adds with pride.
Advocacy Wins: Disability Employment Quotas
Kenneth’s biggest advocacy breakthrough has been with the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Nigeria’s largest employer. Since 2017, he has pushed the Commission to not only meet but improve how it implements the 5% disability employment quota.
Initially, slots for persons with disabilities were misaligned with the fields where candidates were most qualified, often restricted to engineering, surveying, and building roles. Kenneth challenged this approach, arguing that most persons with disabilities had studied education, law, or arts-
related courses. The Commission listened. As a result, hundreds of candidates with disabilities are now shortlisted for federal jobs.
“Today, 685 persons with disabilities are on the shortlist,” Kenneth shares. “That didn’t happen by chance, it’s the result of advocacy, thanks to the advocacy training.”
Current Battles: Against Exemption from Testing
Kenneth is also challenging a recent decision to exempt persons with disabilities from the computer-based test (CBT) stage of civil service recruitment. While well-intentioned, he believes it undermines inclusion: “If we exempt ourselves, we limit opportunities. Let us compete, we have people who can score 70 and above. That way, we get jobs both from the 5% quota and on merit.”
His position highlights a broader principle: persons with disabilities should not be sidelined in the name of pity but empowered to prove their capabilities.
Pushing for Fairness: Disability Allowance and Extended Service
Beyond employment quotas, Kenneth has recently pushed the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to recognize the unique challenges workers with disabilities face. “How is it fair to employ someone at 49 and retire them at 60? Where is the equity in that?” he asked at a recent forum. He has
called for a disability allowance to cover extra costs such as assistive devices, mobility, and personal aides.
His intervention drew support from the International Labour Organization (ILO), which has now invited him to speak at an upcoming global forum on social protection.
Looking Ahead
Kenneth is clear about the tools of effective advocacy. “Between a policy and a law, which is enforceable? It’s the law,” he emphasizes. For him, advocacy means digging into the enabling acts of agencies, understanding the politics, and coming armed with evidence.
He believes advocacy must be collective: “Whenever you have a platform, invite one or two others. That’s how we build stronger movements.” As a youth leader in the disability rights space, he continues to push for systemic reforms that ensure employment, equity, and dignity for persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
Conclusion
From fighting for fair recruitment in the civil service to shaping national debates on disability allowance, Kenneth is proof that advocacy is indeed a verb. His story demonstrates the power of persistence, strategy, and collaboration, showing how one determined voice can influence
systems, shift narratives, and open doors for hundreds of others.
Kenneth Echiche: Building Platforms, Pushing Boundaries in Disability Advocacy
When Kenneth Echiche speaks about advocacy, his eyes light up. For him, advocacy is not a slogan or a distant concept, it is action. Growing up as a person with a disability in Nigeria, Kenneth faced systemic barriers that could have silenced him. Instead, they fuelled him. “Advocacy is a verb,” he says with conviction. “You can’t just sit down waiting for platforms to come; you must create them.”
Discovering His Voice
Kenneth’s turning point came when he joined the We Can Work program and participated in Youth Led Advocacy training. It was there he learned to transform frustration into focused action. He began seeking out platforms, leveraging NGO opportunities, and even creating his own. “Some people wait to be invited,” he explains, “but I made sure my voice was heard
where decisions are made.”
For Kenneth, clarity of purpose is essential. “You can’t carry everything on your head – health, employment, education, you’ll lose your power. Find your area of strength and do it well.” For him, that area is employment advocacy, where he has made his mark.
The Power of Precision
One defining moment came at a gender summit where Kenneth was told, last minute, that his 40-minute speaking slot had been cut to just three. “In that moment, I learned the power of the elevator pitch,” he recalls. He delivered his key points in two minutes, and the impact was electric. His remarks were picked up by media houses, went viral on social media, and
sparked fresh conversations about disability inclusion. “Now, I know how to score my goal in 30 seconds,” he says with a proud smile.
Turning Policy into Opportunity
Kenneth’s biggest win has been with Nigeria’s Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) — the country’s largest employer. Since 2017, he has worked to ensure the 5% disability employment quota is not just a number on paper but a real opportunity. Initially, slots for persons with disabilities were misaligned with their fields of study, often limited to engineering or surveying roles. Kenneth challenged this, presenting evidence that most
candidates had trained in education, law, and arts. The Commission listened and changed its recruitment approach.
“Today, 685 persons with disabilities are on the shortlist,” Kenneth shares proudly. “That didn’t happen by chance. It is the result of persistent advocacy and the skills I gained through
training.”
Challenging Exclusion by “Inclusion”
Kenneth is not afraid to challenge even well-intentioned policies. He is currently opposing a proposal to exempt persons with disabilities from computer-based tests in recruitment. “If we exempt ourselves, we limit opportunities,” he argues. “Let us compete. We have people who
can score 70 and above. That way, we get jobs both from the quota and on merit.”
Pushing for Equity and Fairness
His advocacy goes beyond recruitment numbers. At a recent forum, Kenneth questioned the retirement system that forces late-entry employees with disabilities to retire after just a decade of service. He is also championing a disability allowance to offset the additional costs
of assistive devices, mobility, and personal aides. His interventions caught the attention of the International Labour Organization (ILO), which has now invited him to speak at a global forum on social protection.
Building a Movement
Kenneth is clear about what makes advocacy effective: evidence, collaboration, and strategy. “Between a policy and a law, which is enforceable? It’s the law,” he notes, underscoring the need to engage deeply with the legal frameworks that govern systems. And he insists on
lifting others along the way: “Whenever you have a platform, invite one or two others. That’s how we build stronger movements.”
The Bigger Picture
From transforming civil service recruitment to shaping conversations on disability equity, Kenneth is proving that one voice can shift a system. His journey is a testament to what happens when passion meets persistence and when advocacy stops being a noun and becomes a verb.
“Advocacy is action,” Kenneth reminds us. “And action is how we create a more just and inclusive Nigeria not just for ourselves, but for the generations coming after us.”
