Born to a farming family in Bula, Cacheu Region on 15 March 1953, Ialá became a militant member of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) during his teenage years.
Lahir dari sebuah keluarga petani di Bula, Region Cacheu pada 15 Maret 1953, Ialá menjadi anggota militan Partai Afrika untuk Kemerdekaan Guinea dan Tanjung Verde (PAIGC) selama masa remajanya.