RECREATION: A VERITABLE TOOL FOR ACHIEVING HANDICAPS INTEGRATION IN NIGERIA

This paper focuses on the recreation as a veritable tool for achieving handicaps integration in Nigeria. The non-participation of the handicaps in community recreation throughout Nigeria is matter of concern. The handicapped persons require recreational activities like any other normal persons. The discrimination, either explicit or implicit in nature is so obvious in many developing countries like Nigeria. The handicaps should be integrated into societal recreational activities. They are aware of the importance of participation in recreational activities in fostering unity, peace, harmony, concord, oneness, togetherness and cohesiveness which are essential for community solidarity, integrity and security. They need recognition and wish to voluntarily engage in leisure time activities with their non-handicapped relations as to promote mental health, rehabilitation, happiness and physical fitness. It was recommended that there should be competitions, also philanthropists and charity organizations should help the government to fund recreational programmes for the handicaps in Nigeria.