Adebola Daniel, son of former Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel has revealed how dehumanizing he was made to feel by a Nigerian manager of a Lagos-based outlet of Kentucky Fried Chicken+KFC).
Detailing his experience on Wednesday, March 27, via his X handle, @DebolaDaniel. the physically challenged man said he and his family including his wife and three brothers were traveling to London, however, they decided to wait for their flight at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos outlet of KFC when they received the embarrassment of their life.
According to him, no sooner had they entered the KFC outlet, a lady presumed to be a manager, dished him the worst sort of public humiliation he had ever had to endure.
He revealed that the lady called out loudly, “No wheelchairs allowed”, adding that upon hearing what she said, one of his brothers, Taiwo, asked what she meant. He said that the lady refused to listen to reason and stood her ground that at @kfc @kfcnigeria Murtala Muhammed branch, wheelchairs and wheelchair users of all shapes and sizes were not permitted in the premises and as such they should leave immediately.
Sharing his disheartening experience further, he wrote,
“Today I chose KFC – what a colossal mistake,” he bemoaned.
“Being disabled often rolls over my spirit, leaving behind a trail of shattered dignity and forgotten humanity. Nowhere more so than in Nigeria.
“I have never been the type of person to make a fuss or complain about my disability. My approach has always been ‘laissez-faire.’ Ultimately, it is what it is. It is a part of my identity and like everyone else, I have my days of self-doubt and confusion as to how/if I fit in society.
“To be disabled in Nigeria is to be undesirable, unwelcome, and unaccepted. As I’ve said before, it’s a lonely, scary and isolated place.
“Never has this been more true than it has ever been today when I faced the worst sort of public humiliation that I have ever experienced. To think that this happened at an international brand @kfc @kfcnigeria at an international airport – Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos – is unthinkable.”
Furthermore, he wrote,
“It harkens back to dark periods in recent history… No wheelchairs allowed… No coloureds allowed…. No blacks allowed…,” saying, “Today, I felt less than human, like a guard dog not allowed into the house. Lonely and isolated.”
Daniel who said that he would continue to escalate the matter until he get a reasonable resolution and there’s no stopping me, added that it was wrong for KFC to have treated him that way.
“There are approximately 27 million Nigerians living with some form of disability. That’s over 13% of the country. One in six people on the planet are disabled. You must not treat people this way.
“So my question to @kfc @kfcnigeria is simple. Does this represent your approach to disabled customers or will you be looking into this? Am I not human enough for KFC?”
He added an audio record of the conversation between his wife and the lady.
“Audio clip from my wife. I’m trying to get all the evidence up on here,” he wrote.
In a reaction to the allegation, KFC tweeted via its official X handle on Thursday morning, stating, “KFC is unwavering in our stance against bias or discrimination in any form, with inclusivity and respect as non-negotiable pillars of our values.
“However, this recent incident has underscored the pressing need for immediate action. We have embarked on efforts to address the situation and extend apologies and deeply regret the frustration and distress experienced by our guest.”
The food outlet added that it’s “urgently implementing sensitivity training for all our employees. This incident is not reflective of our standards, and we will act swiftly to rectify it.
“We are actively exploring solutions to equip our team members and establishments better to ensure that every guest feels genuinely welcomed and that we deliver empathetic customer service that proactively addresses the diverse needs of each guest.”
Devyani International (Nigeria) Ltd. is a franchisee of Yum Inc. operating KFC Restaurants in Nigeria.
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