# Lere Oyewumi

Akogun Kamarudeen Olalere "Lere" Oyewumi (born 5 January 1960) is a Nigerian politician, educator, and community development specialist. He has served as a senator in Senate of Nigeria, representing Osun West senatorial district since 2003.
Previously, he was the chairman of the Irewole Local Government Area and a member of Nigerian House of Representatives in the Third Republic. He is a former Commissioner of the Abuja National Population Commission.

## Early life

Oyewumi was born on 5 January 1960, to Rabiu Ewuola Oyewumi of Elere's Compound, Ikire, Osun State, and Limota Arike Oyewumi.

## Education

He was educated at the Baptist Day School, Odeyinka, Ikire, and Saint Augustine's Commercial Modern School, Ikire, where he obtained his modern III certificate in 1978, and Saint David's Grammar School, Ode-Omu. He was named Senior Prefect and later completed the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE). In 1981, he obtained Grade 1 on the School Certificate Examination and was recognized as the best student of then Irewole Local Government (comprising the current day Irewole, Ayedaade, and Isokan Local Governments).
After leaving school, he was employed by the old Oyo State Ministry of Works and Transport as a clerical officer. In 1983, Oyewumi was admitted to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) to study geography and obtained a bachelor's degree in Second Class Honours, Upper Division, in 1987. From 1987 to 1988, he participated in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program in Benue State. Oyewumi later obtained a master's in community development in 2006 and a doctoral degree from the University of Ibadan in 2016.

## Employment

After completing his NYSC in 1988, Oyewumi was employed as an education officer in the Federal Ministry of Education and was seconded to the Federal Government Girl's College, New Bussa, Niger State where he taught until 1992, when he entered politics. He also served as chairman and chief executive officer of an NNPC concessional petrol station in the private sector.

## Politics

Oyewumi's political career began during his undergraduate years, when he was elected national vice president of the National Association of Nigeria Geography Students. He also served as secretary and president of the National Association of Ikire Students (NAIS) at the OAU Chapter and National body. In 1992, Oyewumi won a seat in the House of Representatives, Abuja, under the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He was a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and Chairman of the Sub-Committee on National Agriculture Land Development Authority (NALDA).
The political instability of the period brought the Republic to an end. Oyewumi was involved in efforts to transition the military government of Generals Babangida and Sani Abacha back to civilian rule.
With the return of civilian rule in 1999, Oyewumi was made the publicity secretary of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State. In 2004, after serving as a caretaker chairman of Irewole Local Government for one year, he was elected chairman, serving until 2011, when Governor Rauf Aregbesola's government dissolved the state's local councils. Oyewumi was made the chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Osun State and vice president of the national executive.
In the February 25, 2023, general election, Oyewumi won as the senator representing Osun West, with 138,476 votes.

## Achievements

During his tenure as chairman of the Irewole local government, Oyewumi facilitated the construction and rehabilitation of several roads. His government also facilitated the general electrification of specific areas in Irewole Local Government with the erection of concrete poles and the provision of cables and extensions. During his administration, five 500 KVA transformers were procured and installed. RUWESA, in conjunction with UNICEF, provided an additional 250 boreholes to the local government in 2010.
Additionally, over 200 public taps were constructed across Irewole Local Government. In November 2023, Oyewumi organized a community development drive, providing 500 bags of fertilizer, 120 motorcycles, and a grant of N25 million for women and youths.

## Honours

Oyewumi was honored as the Best Chairman in the South West by International Trade and Services, South Africa and was also awarded the Best Nigerian Local Government Chairman in the Provision of Infrastructural Facilities by the Grassroots Development Survey, Abuja. Oyewumi holds several traditional titles.