Adeoye Owolewa, a 31-year-old Nigerian-American based in the United States recently became the first Nigerian to be elected into the United States Congress.
The Nigerian born who hails from Kwara State, ran for the position on the platform of the Democratic Party and represented Washington DC in the House of Representatives.
Here are more information you need to know about Adeoye Owolewa:
1. Adeoye is a first-generation Nigerian-American who holds a Doctorate degree in Pharmacy from the Northeastern University, Boston.
2. His parents, born and raised in Nigeria, raised him with two guiding principles; a value in community service and an early exposure to science.
3. Adeoye moved to DC to begin practicing pharmacy and impacting the community after completing his degree in pharmacy.
4. Since 2014, he has been a member of RESET, a coalition of STEM professionals who volunteer in public schools, engaging students through hands-on science experiments, his goal was to inspire young people to pursue STEM careers and become tomorrow’s scientists.
5. In 2018, he was elected commissioner of his neighborhood in Southeast DC where he served as the medium between the community and the local government.
6. As elected commissioner he worked to bring resources to the underserved by advising DC lawmakers based on continued community feedback.
7. Some of his most notable achievements were increasing science enrichment programs in Southeast elementary schools, adding traffic safety measures and helping bring a Senior Day Center to the neighborhood.
8. As a commissioner, he learned the value of being an advocate and community resource. He dedicated his energy towards educating and advocating equality and statehood in DC.
9. He participated in the historic March 2019 lobby day, resulting in a majority of the House of Representatives supporting DC Statehood for the first time in American history.
Nigerians within the country and in diaspora have felicitated with him on this feat.
Congratulations Adeoye Owolewa
