By Triangle News Media
News of the demise of Hon. Isaac Adedayo Omolafe came to many of across the world as a rude shock. The passage of Expensive on Monday, August 16, 2021 could aptly be described as one death too many. He was undoubtedly loved by his people and even his political opponents could not have loved him more while alive.
The passage of Hon. Omolafe was
significantly honoured by all the traders in Akure North/South Federal Constituency with the closure of their shops and stalls. It is doubtful if there could have been a better way to show true love and admiration for the late federal lawmaker than this unprompted action of Akure traders.
Death cannot be considered to be the reverse of life, but it is definitely an integral part of it. More so, we all have to die one day; however, our objective should not be to live forever but to create something that will live forever after our demise. The people of Akure North/South federal constituency would have wished that the late Adedayo Omolafe had lived much longer. However, the grassroots mobilizer had successfully engraved his name in the consciousness of his people and also in the sand of time.
Cycle of life began for the little Isaac Adedayo Omolafe on Saturday, April 18, 1964 in Akure where he was born into the family of late Chief Alabi Omolafe and Mrs Abigail Omolafe. He attended St Stephen Anglican Primary School, Akure and Igbemo Community Grammar School, Igbemo, Ekiti State for his primary and secondary school education. Omolafe was a holder of Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration and Management from Imo State University. He was also a holder of
Diploma in Business Administration and Management from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.
Expensive began his working career with the Nigeria Postal Services, (NIPOST) and later retired from the same establishment as an Internal Auditor in 1995. Exemplary qualities of Isaac Adedayo won him the trust and confidence of his colleagues while in the public service. He was well reputed as a dutiful and trustworthy public servant and these were the qualities that endeared him to the then Post Master Officer who later rose to become a Deputy Post Master General of NIPOST. Shortly after his retirement, Omolafe delved into a private business before he eventually ventured into partisan politics.
The late Hon. Adedayo Omolafe made his mark in politics and equally used the platform of politics to impact and give meaning to many hitherto meaningless lives. He exemplified himself as a model of outstanding performance and compassionate politician. Expensive was overwhelmingly elected as a member representing Akure North/South federal constituency in February, 2019. He truly prioritized his constituents and conscientiously served them as a member of the Federal House of Representatives until he breathed his last.
Omolafe also served as the Vice Chairman, House Committee on Poverty Alleviation from 2019 to 2021. He did leverage on his good office to give career lifelines to a number of his constituents in Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police and other public and private establishments. He was also responsible for the construction of modern toilets and bathroom for traders and butchers at Araromi/ Odo Eran in Akure. He equally constructed culverts and drains at Canaan land 1& 2 in Ijoka, Akure.
Expensive was also responsible for the dredging of popular Elegbin river in Isinka in his bid to put a stop to the perennial flooding which annually destroyed houses and claim lives in the area.
While in office as the member representing Akure North/Akure South federal constituency, Hon. Adedayo Omolafe handled the grading of the troublesome and long abandoned Ondo road in Akure. He also undertook the grading of roads at Igoba communities in Akure North Local Government Area. He equally carried out the construction of abandoned Odige culvert in Akure.
In addition, he also delivered a borehole project at Obanla community in Akure.
Expensive also constructed a solar-powered borehole project at Ifepade community in Oshinle quarters of Akure. He likewise constructed a Civic Center at Osi in Akure North Local Government Area. Within a spate of two years of being in office at the National Assembly, Hon. Omolafe undertook the construction of a Health Care Centre at Omoniyi Estate in Akure.
He also donated multi-million naira hospital equipment to Health Centres across his federal constituency. He equally purchased some ambulances to be distributed to various health centres across his constituency in his bid to enhance better health services delivery.
It is to the credit of the late Hon. Isaac Omolafe that multi- million naira worth of palliatives were distributed to his constituents in a bid to cushion the economic effects of covid-19 pandemic across the federal constituency. He had likewise enrolled many of his constituents for the N-POWER Programme. Expensive equally facilitated the federal government Covid-19 grant of N30,000 each for 200 of his constituents.
It is equally on record that the late federal lawmaker also facilitated the N20,000 federal government Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme
for 300 of his constituents. He had likewise facilitated the training of 200 constituents in Agro-preneuraship and also empowered them with a take-off grant of N50,000 each. Similarly,
Expensive had empowered 300 small scale entrepreneurs in his constituency with N100,000 each to get their businesses stabilised.
In partnership with SMEDAN, he had equally facilitated an
empowerment training for 50 of his youthful constituents in Tailoring, Perfume and Soap making.
The humane federal lawmaker also gave his all to support the education of his constituents. It is on record that he took it upon himself to pay the school fees and awarded scholarships to many indigent students in his constituency. He likewise distributed free 200 units of JAMB forms to admission seeking students in his constituency in year 2020. Another achievement of Hon. Omolafe was the training organized for selected youths in Akure on
Peace and Conflict resolution.
Hon. Isaac Adedayo Omolafe until his death offered quality representation to the people of Akure North/Akure South federal constituency. It is on record that he donated electricity transformer to Adejubu community in Akure North
Local Government Area. It is also to his credit that solar-powered street light were erected at Ijomu/ Edo lodge axis of Akure South Local Government Area. Also to the credit of the late Omolafe is the ongoing electrification project at Igbatoro road in Akure North as well as the the facilitation of Agriculture loans for famers in his federal constituency.
Expensive was not just a mere floor member at the National Assembly, he indeed made legislative contributions and interventions on behalf of his people. It is on record that he moved a motion on the state of insecurity in Nigeria after the gruesome murder of Pa Rueben Fasoranti’s daughter. He was also a strong voice against the Anti- social Media Bill. It is also on record that he once visited the Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji to call his attention to the deplorable state of federal roads in Ondo State. This effort yielded the fruit of ongoing rehabilitation of Akure-Ikere road.
The deceased legislature was also on hand to call the attention of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management to the plights of bomb blast victim at Alayere/ Ilu Abo communities in Akure North. This effort actually made the concerned federal government agencies to reach out to the bomb blast victims.
During the lifetime of Isaac Omolafe, he was the Chairman of Ondo State Property Development Corporation from 2015 to 2016. He also served as the Ondo State Coordinator of the Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SRUE-P) of the federal government from 2009 to 20015. Expensive recorded numerous achievements when he served as a two- term Executive Chairman of Akure South Local Government as well as the Chairman of ALGON, Ondo State chapter from 2004 to 2009. Also, he was the Caretaker Chairman of Akure South Local Government Area from 2003 to 2004.
At the early part of his political career, Hon. Omolafe served as the Akure Local Government Supervisor for Health in 2000. He was equally in office as the the Vice Chairman of Akure South Local Government in 1996. Also, he had earlier served as a Supervisory Councillor of Akure South Local Government in 1996. Omolafe also served as Akure South Local Government Councillor in 1996.
Adedayo was a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Management Accountants of Nigeria and also a member of the Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria. He was
also a member of Rotary Club, a prestigious international club that provides service to humanity as one of its core values.
Expensive may have left sooner than expected, but the fact remains that he came, he saw and he conquered. He was undoubtedly a genuine lover of his people and humanity. He would rather prefer to go hungry than allow anyone around him to complain of hunger. Giving helping hands to people around him was a passion as he was always willing to lend helping hands to the needy. This much manifested in the financial assistance given to countless of his constituents that came to him with different kinds of needs.
Adedayo Omolafe is survived by a wife and children. One thing that is certain about the demise of the federal lawmaker is that he will be sorely missed by his supporters, friends and benefactors. Although he has realistically transited to the great beyond, but it is absolutely sure that his enduring legacies will continue to live after him.