Our Founder

Overview

Zusi began her foray into the world of children's special education needs after a personal experience. While observing her young son over time, she noticed that her son seemed to be experiencing developmental delays. She subsequently took him to various medical experts and sought the opinions of other people around her, however; everyone insisted her son was fine and suggested that she was over analysing the situation. Most people would tell her "don't worry, boys will be boys, most times they don't develop as fast as girls in some areas."

Nevertheless, despite the reassurances, her intuition told her that her son needed help. So, she embarked on a mission to understand his symptoms and find a solution. During the course of her research and consultations, she finally discovered that her son has presented with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The journey with her son inspired her to diversify her career and passion (from full time banking) into neuro-developmental disorders. As a result, her desire has been to see that every child receives the best form of intervention available. Her desire evidence-based practice led her to the field of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) which eventually gave birth to "FOS ABA Centre & Creative Hub".

As a certified Special Educational Needs Expert and Advanced Certified Autism Specialist, she has dedicated her life to actively breaking the culture of silence surrounding children with special needs in our society, by equipping them with the skills and resources they need to thrive. In Nigerian society, parents who have children with special needs seldom talk about it, due to the cultural stigma associated with it, and also because such conditions are rarely diagnosed correctly when symptoms first start to show. As a result, these children rarely get the help they need on time. As founder and Chief Executive Officer of FOS ABA Centre & Creative Hub, an inclusive creative center that helps to nurture creativity, social skills, emotional intelligence, and other practical skills that all children need to succeed and thrive in the world, Zusi leads a team of experts that nurture creativity, social skills, emotional intelligence, and other practical skills children need to succeed. FOS ABA Centre uses the science of applied behaviour analysis to provide support for children and families with Autism, ADHD, Dyspraxia, and related disorders. Our ABA Centre boasts of excellent team of professionals ranging from clinical psychologist, speech and language therapist (SLT), occupational therapist etc.

Our Creative Hub (FOS Creative Hub) is an inclusive facility that provides Art & Creative activities such as 'music club, dance club, swimming club, chess club and gymnastics' for all children. As the Founder and Creative Director of FOS, which has now become one of Nigeria's top facilities for neurodivergence, she continues to break the societal stigma associated with these children. Through her work, she has proven that when given the right support, all children - with or without special needs, can thrive and grow together in the world. Her desire to see that every child receives the best care possible has been the motivation for her continuous learnings and researches about neurodevelopmental disorders and related conditions.

Professional Experience

Some of her certifications and learnings in the field of neurodivergence are highlighted below:

• Qualified Autism Services Practitioner - Supervisor (QASP-S)
• PGCEI and M.Ed - University of Nottingham
• Special Educational Needs Expert (SENCO) - National Open University and Martin Foundation Teachers Institute.
• Certified Positive Psychologist - University of Pennsylvania
• Advanced Certified Autism Specialist (ACAS) – IBCCES - International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standard
• Board Certified Cognitive Specialist (BCCS) – IBCCES - International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standard
• Certified First Aid, CPR and AED - America Heart Association
• Certified Emotional Intelligence Specialist - Emotions City