Meet Tiaraoluwa Ogunleye, a lovely four-year-old girl from Nigeria who was born with a limb difference. Her right arm is shorter than her left one, and she has only three fingers on her tiny hand.
When she came into the world on September 5, 2015, her mother, Adetola Ogunleye, felt a mix of emotions. She loved her baby girl with all her heart, but she also worried about how she would cope with the difficulties and discrimination that many people with disabilities face in society.
She knew that some people would judge her daughter based on her appearance, not on her personality or abilities. So she wished that society would be more inclusive and accepting of people who are different.
But Adetola didn’t let her fears stop her from celebrating her daughter’s uniqueness. She realized that her limb difference was not a flaw but a feature that made her stand out from the crowd. Her mother decided to share her daughter’s story with the world, hoping to inspire others to embrace their differences and live their best lives.
She created an Instagram page for her daughter, Unlimited Tiara Oluwa, where she posts adorable pictures and videos of her daily activities. The page has over 6,100 followers who love and support Tiara. Many of them comment that Tiara’s smile and happiness make their day and that she motivates them to be proud of who they are.
Tiara is the light of her parents’ lives, and she fills their home with joy and laughter. She celebrated her fourth birthday on September 5, 2024, and her mother posted some beautiful photos of her on Instagram, taken by the famous photographer Mofebamuyiwa. In one of the posts, Adetola wrote:
“To tell you the truth, I was devastated when I gave birth to her. I had to lock myself and her indoors for a whole year. It was just as if my world came crashing down, but today I’m so excited to have her in my life.”
Adetola is not only a proud mother but also an advocate for limb difference awareness. Concurrently, she founded Limbable, a community that celebrates the amazing talents and skills of people with limb differences. She wants to show the world that a limb difference is not a limitation but an opportunity to explore new possibilities.
“God created me complete. Not less. I am enough,” she said.
Tiara is super independent and confident. She can do tons of stuff all on her own, like eating, writing, carrying stuff, and even riding her bike and toy car. School is a breeze for her, and she makes friends like it’s nobody’s business. Tiara’s always up for an adventure and loves trying new things.
But sometimes, Tiara feels frustrated and sad because of the way some people treat her. They stare at her, ask her rude questions, or touch her hand without her permission. Sometimes, they make her feel like she is different in a bad way. She tells her mother:
“I’m even tired; everybody keeps disturbing me every time; they always ask me what happened to my hand. I don’t like it when they disturb me and they touch my little hand. I’m even praying to God to make my hand grow so they will stop disturbing me,” she shared.
When Adetola hears her daughter say these things, it really hurts her heart. She gives her a big hug and tells her that she’s absolutely perfect just the way she is, and she doesn’t need to change for anyone. Adetola reminds her daughter that she’s loved and admired by so many people, and her limb difference is what makes her beautiful and strong. She also wants other parents to teach their kids to respect and value people who are different from them.
“Parents and guardians need to explain to their kids and wards that it’s okay to be different and that some people are born different. They also need to emphasize the fact that it’s rude to stare at or point at people. Everybody is created different. Tall/short, big/small, fat/slim, dark/fair, God created us all with our unique abilities.”