The life and times of Daniel Alifa Akoh, an accomplished civil servant

BY JOY OMAGHA IDAM

The legendary Daniel Alifa Akoh,(Omachi Attah Igala) born August 1, 1935, hails from Ugwolawo, Kogi state.

He died after a seven-week battle with illness at a hospital in Lagos on March 26, 2023. Burial arrangements will be made known at a later date.

He was a chartered chemist and a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). He held a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Chemistry of the University of London from the University College Ibadan.

He was a founding member and fellow of the following societies: Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN), Institute of Chartered Chemist of Nigeria (ICCON), the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN) as its first president and also the Nigeria Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST). He worked at different times at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in London and with a firm of public analysts, Thomas Mc Lauchlan and Partners in London. He is the first graduate from Igala Kingdom.

His civil service career began as a laboratory technician at the Laboratory of the government chemist. He later became the government chemist of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The last person to hold that position, Akoh was appointed first director, Food and Drug Administration and Laboratory Services on the abolition of the position of government chemist in 1977. It later metamorphosed into NAFDAC. He laid the foundation for the establishment of NAFDAC.

In 1982, he was appointed permanent secretary and chief of staff, office of the vice-president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Later, he served respectively as permanent secretary political and police affairs, cabinet office and federal ministry of works and housing from where he retired voluntarily in 1986. A very rare virtue.

During his career, Akoh had the opportunity of serving in many organisations including the board of directors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the councils of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the boards of directors of the University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan (UCH), University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Peugeot Automobile Company of Nigeria (PAN) and Benro Packaging Company.

He was the founder and chairman of Alfa Laboratories Limited, Amen Food Industries Limited and Akoh Ocholi Foundation. He was also an active participant in many community associations. Seeing to educational development of Igala land.

Akoh received the professional excellence award of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN). In 1995, he was conferred with the title Omachi Attah Igala by His Royal Majesty, Aliyu Obaje, the Attah of Igala reigning at the time.

Some of his notable exploits as member Chemical Society of Nigeria includes; coordinating the decongestion of the Port in Lagos in 1983. Coordinating efforts for the enabling laws for environmental regulations in Nigeria. Coordinated the designs and construction of major highways and bridges in Nigeria; Ajaokuta Bridge, Ajaokuta- Otukpa, Ilorin – Jebba federal highways, several federal secretariats in states as well as the Nigerian House in New York. He represented Nigeria for many years in various international organisations; chemist committee of the Customs Cooperation Council in Brussels, and Codex Alimentarius in Rome.

He is survived by a wife, Mary Akoh. The union lasted over 60 years and is blessed with four children and several grandchildren to mourn him as well as many he mentored and paid fees for. He was a devoted Christian. Until his call to glory, he was a prominent member of the Ikoyi Baptist Church. He was a quiet philanthropist. He supported projects in his community and people quietly.