Nigeria has lost one of its political veterans.
Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim, businessman, politician and sports promoter, died in Abuja on Saturday. He was 88.
Born in Wamba, Nasarawa State, Ibrahim’s life spanned some of the most defining chapters of Nigeria’s political journey.
He rose to prominence during the Second Republic as a leading figure in the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). In the turbulent 1990s, as Nigeria prepared for a return to civilian rule, he stood among the politicians who laid the foundations of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
But his legacy stretched beyond politics.
Ibrahim was a successful entrepreneur with interests across different sectors. In sports, he founded the Mighty Jets Football Club of Jos, a team that became a powerhouse in Nigerian football for decades.
President Bola Tinubu described him as a “maverick politician” who gave his time, energy and resources to Nigeria’s progress.
“His voice was firm, his convictions strong, and his dedication to Nigeria unquestionable,” Tinubu said in his tribute.
Political allies also remembered him as a straight talker. Former minister of information Jerry Gana recalled, “Isyaku never minced words. Whether you agreed with him or not, you always knew where he stood.”
In Jos, fans of the Mighty Jets mourned the man who brought them football glory. “He gave us a club we could be proud of,” said Bala Ibrahim, a long-time supporter. “Without him, the Mighty Jets would never have been a household name.”
Family members described him as a man of discipline and generosity. One of his nephews said, “He carried both politics and business on his shoulders, but he never forgot his roots in Wamba.”
For many Nigerians, Ibrahim’s death marks the departure of a bridge between eras – a man who witnessed the country’s political evolution first-hand and left his mark on business, politics and sport.
