The Beautiful Gate Handicapped People’s Center Jos was in Kogi State and donated 220 tricycle-wheelchairs to People with disabilities in Idah at the Palace of the Attah of Igala and the Palace of the Ohinoyi of Ebira land in Okene. Presenting the tricycle-wheelchairs to both monarchs, Chief Ayuba Burki Gufwan, the Director of the Center said this gesture was to fulfill the mandate of the center which is to provide mobility aid to all people with disabilities in Nigeria and beyond.
Chief Gufwan explained that the gesture is to enable the beneficiaries to be independent of others by using the wheelchairs to either enroll in a school or learn a trade, adding that “we always discourage our beneficiaries from engaging in street begging but to be productive thereby increasing the wealth of the nation”.
A partner of Beautiful Gate Handicapped People Center Jos, Rev (Dr.) Ron Rice, a retired Reverend from Seattle USA called on the government of Nigeria and the traditional institutions to create job opportunities for People with Disabilities in their domain. Dr. Rice who is 86 years old said he has been to Nigeria 31 times in the company of his wife Sharon Rice. He further explained that some of the monies for the wheelchairs were donated by Christians in the US.
Responding, His Royal Highness Matthew Alaji Opaluwa Oguche Akpa II, the Attah of Igala land was thrilled by the act of love shown to his people. According to him “…this is the first time this is happening in my kingdom under my watch, the act simplifies true love”. He added that he was moved to do more to people with disabilities in his kingdom and encouraged the beneficiaries to put the items in good use.
In the same light, at the palace of the Ohinoyi of Ebira Land, Alhaji (Dr) Abdulrahaman Ado Ibrahim, the team was received by HRH Dr. Samuel Adai Onimisi, the Obobanyi of Ihima who thanked the Beautiful Gate Handicapped People’s Center and its partners for the great show of kindness to the people of Ebira Land.
According to the monarch, the act of kindness shown by the Beautiful Gate team is the true reflection that good people still exist. He called on the beneficiaries to shun street begging as the wheelchairs provided will serve as legs that will enable them to do things independently.
Highlight of the day was the donation of a tricycle to a street beggar named Ahmed Usman who was seen begging on the street of Lokoja, the unexpected gift left Ahmed in tears, and he prayed for God to continue to uplift the center.
Beautiful Gate Handicapped People’s Center has distributed free Tricycle-Wheelchairs and other walking aides to over 25,000 beneficiaries across Nigeria
