Late Alhaji Isiaka Alfa (Waali): Odey to an Icon, politician and business guru

The chairperson of the Senators’ wife forum, Barr Halima Kabiru Gaya, has expressed shock over the demise of a renowned philantropist, political icon and an industrous Igala son, Alhaji Isiaka Alfa, popularly called WAALI, by his admirers.

Alhaji Isiaka Alfa popularly called WAALI by his teeming political friends and admirers died at the age of 90yrs on February 25 exactly one year after the death of his best friend and former Attorney-General of the federation, Abdullahi Ibrahim SAN. The chairperson in her condolence message said the Igala Kingdom and indeed the entire state had lost a political collosus and philantropist per excellence. She said beside being a great politician, Alhaji Isiaka was an astute business man and financier of many businesses.She particularly extolled the late WAALI for using his personal acquired wealth to touch the life of many and influence the lives of several Igala people positively.

She stressed that the philantropist had on many occassions sponsored many students through University education and had also helped many muslims and christians to make pilgrimage to the holy lands.

Barr Halima Gaya also expressed her condolence to family members, the government and people of Kogi State, the entire Igala traditional council ably led by the ATTA-IGALA, the Ejeh of Ankpa, and particularly. Hon .Rabiu Isiaka, and the Ankpa people.

She said the late WAALI lived a good life and left behind legacy of philanthropist and service to humanity.

She prayed God to grant the deceased Aljannah Fidaus and fortitude for his loved ones to bear the loss.

Alhaji Isiaka was born in 1932 and joined active politics in 1960 just after the country got her independendence. He started his early business life with sales of kola nuts and later ventured into transport business where he rosed to be a distributor of peugeot cars with the Peugeot Assembly of Nigeria, PAN.

Though not formally educated, he was an astute entrepreneural expert who was not only successful in managing his businesses, but has successfully established many businesses for others too.

As a politician, he was a member of his best friend’s political family, Prince Abubakar Audu of blessed memory. He was never a politician who decamped from party to parties; he stays through tick and tin with the late Prince.

The late Alfa produced many illustrous children, among them is a lawmaker representing the good people of Ankpa 2 State Constituency and Chairman of the Committee on Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs in Kogi State House of Assembly.

May his soul rest in perfect peace.

Musa Wada, writes from Abuja