A SEED THAT CANNOT BE THROWN AWAY; CHIEF AYUBA BURKI GUFWAN

A SEED THAT CANNOT BE THROWN AWAY; CHIEF AYUBA BURKI GUFWAN.  
                                   
 Chief Ayuba Burki was born in Depuri a village at the South Eastern extreme of Panyam District Mangu LGA on the 7th April 1972. Ayuba Burki suffered from poliomyelitis while he was just an infant leaving him with paralysis of both legs.
His educational pursuit began when his father sent him to the COCIN school for the Handicapped children in Sabon Layi Mangu from 1979-1982. He attended the then LGED School Depuri, and Diyes/Bwor where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate.  He completed his Secondary education at Nakam Memorial Secondary school Panyam in 1993. Completed College of Education Akwanga in 1996 for his NCE qualifying him to be a teacher. He also attended the Institute of Christian and Management Studies Mkar, Gboko Benue State where he obtained Advance Diploma in Public Administration in 1998.  His quest for knowledge was not yet assuaged thus he proceeded to the University of Jos to read the course he loves, Law and graduated with LLB Hons in 2004.
Ayuba Burki Gufwan started work life as a teaching practice student at GSS Laranto ,Jos. After his NCE programme he got appointment with the Plateau State Government as a teacher in GSS Chwelnyap, Jos. A position he held before voluntarily re-signing to set up the Beautiful Gate Handicapped people Centre, Jos, an NGO involved in general research,  rehabilitation, education and advocacy on disability matters in over 26 of the 36 States in Nigeria.
Through this agency, Burki Gufwan has been able to bring  life-changing intervention to thousands of handicapped people regardless of age religion or any other form discrimination.     He has further assisted many indigent individuals with scholarships to enable them acquire skills and knowledge to contribute to the growth of society.
He has taken the advocacy struggle of the Handicapped people to the World stage. This was through invitation to speak at the World Health Organization in Geneva Switzerland among other countries of Europe, Africa and the Americas. Being a Paul Harris fellow of the Rotary club,he visited over 20 Rotary Clubs across many States of the United States of America drumming up support for the fight against polio and the rehabilitation of polio survivors.
Due to his large heart and compassionate disposition towards mankind without discrimination, the Langai Traditional council conferred on him the title of  Makaman Langai meaning "the equitable distributor". Furthermore his people of Panyam District Traditional council conferred on him the title of Taliban Panyam.
He yielded to calls from well meaning individuals and ventured into politics by contesting for the Mangu North East seat at the Plateau State House of Assembly under the PDP in 2015. This great and people driven movement could succeed due to the wind of change with swept Plateau State. Undeterred he again reluctantly agreed to run for the Chairmanship position of Mangu LGA in the the November 10th LGA elections in the State. The election clearly was going to favour him as the people of Mangu LGA voted for him and the PDP enmasse. Angered by the disappearance of the collation officers and the declaration of the election as inconclusive, the people of Mangu LGA stood their ground and kept  vigil at the LGA Secretariat to defend their votes. Chief Gufwan remains indebted to the people for such show of love.
With the mandate taken away, he headed to the election petition tribunal in an attempt to reclaim it. This was not to be as the Tribunal threw out the petition in spite of the dogged determination of Chief Gufwan to get what he  believes the people have given him.
Following unsavoury remarks and acts of discrimination against him by high ranking PDP officials in the build up to the February General elections, he eventually defect to the All Progressives Congress APC .This was followed by his appointment as the Special Adviser to His Excellency the Executive Governor of Plateau state the Rt Hon Barr Simon Bako Lalong on disability matters. He deployed his political arsenal in working for the reelection of the APC in the polls. This paid off as the Governor got elected for a second term overwhelmingly. This is further p I the political relevance of this grassroot mobilizer and quintessential politician.
He got married to his beloved wife, Rachael and is blessed with six wonderful children.He is a great father, husband, philanthropist, politician and a rallying point for the downtrodden in the society.