Can you imagine being unable to learn your ABC until the age of nine, not being able to read until over the age of twelve, and remaining a slow reader throughout your life.
Would you believe that a President of the United States had these characteristics?
You probably have been wondering why our foundation is called Coat of Many Colours? I believe God does not love us any less than the other person. He only made each of us unique in His own likeness. God, the great physician and artist would never make any substandard or inferior human being. We are just unaware of the “special” package in each child.
It is our belief that every human being had been given a special gift. A gift of a unique talent, a special ability, a unique colour and flavour; a special coat of many colours.
According to the King James Version, Genesis 37:3 reads, "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours."
The translation of the passage indicates the coat as “many coloured", "a long robe with sleeves" and "a richly ornamented robe".
In contrast, the coat Jacob gave his son was colourful, ankle length, and probably more in keeping with what royalty wore - it was very beautiful.
Joseph's father Jacob (also called Israel) favoured him and gave Joseph the coat as a gift; this made his brothers envy him. The special coat was an indication that Joseph would assume family leadership.
The narrative tells that his brothers plotted against him, and would have killed him had not his eldest brother Reuben persuaded them instead to throw Joseph into a pit and secretly planned to rescue him later.
This fact, according to the rest of Joseph’s story, was the first step of destined events that took Joseph from being sold into slavery to gaining favour from Egypt’s Pharaoh and eventually saving a nation. God had indeed allowed Joseph to not only survive many trials, but to prosper and fulfil His design.
Every child is special. Every child has his or her own personality. Each child tries to endeavour and focus best on their lives. Every child has a dream that is dear to his or her heart. Unfortunate we as adults, parents, educators and the larger society lack the patience and knowledge to understand and assist the child achieve this dream.
From what we have witnessed during our interactions and events, it is clear that each of these children as well as the thousands of children classified as underachieving have their individual seeds of great achievement in them.
Gold cannot shine without being treated and polished. Same goes for our special children. They need our understanding, support and care. Then they can blossom and achieve their dreams.
As a child, Thomas Edison was hyperactive and had a learning disability. His mother was offended with the treatment he was receiving at school as a result, and she decided pulled him out. At age 14 he contracted scarlet fever, which caused the loss of hearing in one ear and a severe diminishment in the other; he was almost deaf. He is one of the greatest inventors ever. Few of his inventions are the Light Bulb, Phonograph and motion Picture Camera.
Entrepreneur, billionaire, and “The only person in the world to have built eight billion-dollar companies from scratch in eight different countries.” Richard Branson is a model for success, he is dyslexic. Branson’s teachers simply labelled him as lazy or “not very clever.”
In a 2008, singer, songwriter, and actor Justin Timberlake revealed that he has both Attention Deficit Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Despite battling his obsessive thoughts, he has had an incredibly successful career in the entertainment industry, even winning nine Grammy Awards and four Emmy Awards.
Actress, writer, and producer Whoopi Goldberg was actually called “dumb” while growing up due to her dyslexia. With leading roles in movies like Sister Act, The Colour Purple, and Jumping Jack Flash, and being one of the only ten people to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award; she has certainly proven her critics wrong.
Woodrow Wilson had dyslexia and struggled with reading his entire life. Instead of being overcome by his disability, Wilson used determination and self-discipline to not only survive in school, but to excel. Eventually, he became a professor at Princeton University, an author of a popular acclaimed book on George Washington, the governor of New Jersey, and the 28th President of the United States.
I.K. Osakioduwa, radio and television on-air personality had Dyslexia. He had reading and writing difficulties. Everything he wrote was a mirror image of what he intended. I.K. attended King's College, Lagos and studied Economics at the University of Lagos where he got his start in the television industry. He is known for his work with Rhythm 93.7 FM, but he is also a presenter on MNet 's Studio 53, and is best known as the presenter of Big Brother Africa and Comedy Nights among others.
American country music singer Dolly Parton wrote and recorded her hit song, "Coat of Many Colours" in October 1971. The song tells of how Parton's mother stitched together a coat for her daughter out of rags given to the family.
And oh I did not understand
it, for I felt I was rich
And I told them of the love my momma sewed in every stitch
And I told 'em all the story momma told me while she sewed
And how my coat of many colours was worth more than all their clothes
But they didn't understand
it, and I tried to make them see
One is only poor, only if they choose to be
Now I know we had no money, but I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colours my momma made for me
Let us all collectively resolve to stitch coats of many colours for these children with love, understanding and the needed support. One day, I believe they too will discover their abilities, achieve their dreams and proudly wear their own coats of many colours as trailblazers, IT specialists, creative artists, entrepreneurs and outstanding members of the larger human society.
Ability Unchained, is an exhibition of products, services and crafts by special challenged people aged between 12 and 30 years.
The first edition of the event was held on 10th April, 2023 in Lagos, Nigeria and 4th August, 2023 in Accra, Ghana respectively.
We’d love to extend an invitation to you to partner and participate in the 2016 edition of this programme.
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Can you imagine being unable to learn your ABC until the age of nine, not being able to read until over the age of twelve, and remaining a slow reader
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Would you believe that a President of the United States had these characteristics?
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