Toma Umu: How Artist With Cerebral Palsy Uses Her Legs to Paint, Inspire Others

Toma Umu, a Nigerian artist and disability rights advocate living with cerebral palsy, is challenging society’s perception of disability by turning her personal experiences into powerful works of art. Unable to use her hands, Umu has learned to use her legs for everyday tasks and artistic expression, proving that physical limitations do not have to define a person’s potential.
Her journey towards independence began with a simple need. Umu recalled a time when she wanted to eat but had nobody available to feed her. Determined to help herself, she began practising how to eat with her legs. Although the process was difficult at first, persistence helped her develop the skill and confidence to become more independent.
Her talent for painting emerged through the encouragement of her late friend, Adeyinka, who recognised that Umu’s ability to control her legs could extend beyond daily activities. Adeyinka encouraged her to experiment with painting, introducing her to an art form that would eventually become a major part of her life. Although her friend died in 2016, Umu said the impact of that encouragement continues to shape her journey.
Nature and colour remain central to Umu’s creative process. She draws inspiration from the variety of colours in the sky, the beauty of the natural world and what she observes around her. She believes her artistic ability is a gift from God, whom she describes as the greatest artist. Her work also explores human relationships and different life experiences, including a thread-based painting inspired by discussions about whether people living with disabilities experience love. In the artwork, different threads represent the varied paths people take through life and relationships.
Beyond her paintings, Umu uses public speaking to challenge stereotypes and encourage people to recognise abilities rather than focus solely on physical conditions. Speaking at the anniversary of Place of Liberty, she urged people facing difficult circumstances not to give up on themselves. She believes that identifying personal strengths and using them to make a positive impact can help individuals move beyond the limitations others may place on them.
Umu also rejects the idea that disability should determine a person’s identity or future. She believes that human differences reflect the variety of abilities, forms and experiences that make people unique. For her, the focus should be on understanding individual strengths and creating opportunities for everyone to contribute meaningfully to society.
Her determination has extended to her education, despite encountering people who doubted her ability to learn or write because of her physical impairment. With support from people who believed in her, she earned a National Certificate in Education in Special and Adult Education from the College of Education, Oyo, before obtaining a degree in Early Childhood Education from the National Open University of Nigeria.
Umu is now calling on parents, caregivers and society to look beyond physical conditions and help people discover their talents. She stresses that encouragement, access to opportunities and self-acceptance can make a significant difference in the lives of persons with disabilities. Her message is clear: people should not allow other people’s assumptions to determine their future, because disability does not erase ability, ambition or the capacity to inspire others.