How I became blind at seven — Media personality Victor Oteri

Media personality Victor Oteri of Lagos Traffic Radio has opened up on how he lost his sight.

The OAP in a recent interview revealed that he was just seven years old when measles caused him to lose his sight.

Mr Oteri in a recent interview held recently in Lagos, said, “I lost my sight when I was seven years old. Back in the 70s we had childhood killer diseases like measles and that was due to lack of vaccination in the country at that time.”

“I was in the village somewhere in Delta State and I had measles which unfortunately went into my eyes. Measles is a very deadly disease it can cripple a child or make a child go deaf or blind.

“Unfortunately, that was my own case in 1979. I had to start afresh by going to the school for the blind in Surulere in 1980.”

Oteri completed his secondary education in Ota, Ogun State, and later enrolled at the University of Ibadan, where he earned his initial English degree. After completing his year of service, he was hired by Radio Lagos Eko FM to continue working there.

The cost of sending a blind person to school is significantly higher, according to Oteri, a deputy director in the Lagos State Civil Service who rose through the ranks.

“As a visually impaired person, it takes more than triple the cost of sending a child to normal school because the equipment that a visually impaired person would require to successfully go through school are capital-intensive. So I relied on people who sponsored me through school,” he said.

Oteri, who is now head of programmes at Lagos Traffic Radio, confirmed that he also dreams and sees real images in his dreams.