World Autism Awareness Day
Understanding, Compassion, and Responsible Care
Lately, I have been working a lot, combining my profession with the work I truly love and have passion for. It has been draining at times, but I thank God for strength.
As a healthcare professional, I have had the opportunity to work closely with young adults living with autism. I am still learning every day, but experience has taught me something very important:
care, patience, and proper support can make a world of difference.
Over the past few days, I came across videos and posts about a young man said to be living with autism, who was recently married to a woman old enough to be his mother. I watched, I read, and I decided to pause before speaking, waiting for today, World Autism Awareness Day, to share my thoughts with clarity and responsibility.
From my little experience and what I observed, what that young man needs most right now is proper care.
If truly, as reported, he cannot care for himself or fully understand what is happening around him, then we must ask honest questions. What is the purpose of such a marriage at this stage? Is it truly in his best interest, or are we ignoring his actual needs?
This is not to say that individuals living with autism do not deserve love, relationships, or marriage. They absolutely do. But timing, capacity, and understanding matter.
In my line of work, I have supported individuals with autism who are able to do certain things independently, make decisions, and build meaningful relationships. Some of them get married, and it works, because they have reached a level of understanding and personal capacity.
But when someone is still fully dependent, unable to comprehend situations, and requires constant care, the priority should be their health, development, and wellbeing, not marriage.
We need to shift our thinking.
Autism is not something to manage with assumptions or societal pressure. It requires proper assessment, structured care, therapy, and in some cases, advanced support systems that may not even be readily available locally. If resources are limited, then seeking better care options should be the focus, not decisions that may complicate the individual’s life further.
It is also important to acknowledge the role of vulnerability. Situations like this can sometimes be influenced by poverty for a woman like that to accept to marry the young man and say God told her to do so. We should always separate things from one another.
To parents and families raising children with autism, please hear this clearly:
Your child’s journey is not a race.
Your child’s worth is not defined by societal expectations.
What they need most is understanding, structured support, and genuine care.
Let us use this moment not just to be aware, but to educate, to protect, and to do what is right for those who may not be able to fully speak for themselves.
Because true love is not just about what we want for someone,
it is about what is truly best for them.
Omolola Talkstv
Preserving culture, truth, and humanity.
Let us move from awareness to understanding, from sympathy to proper care.
Because doing what is right will always matter more than doing what is popular.
Asa kì í kú.
