Dr. Rotimiolu Akinlesi currently serves as the Permanent Secretary of the Ogun State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Prior to this role, he held the position of Permanent Secretary in two other ministries: the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental and the Ministry of Forestry.
Rotimi earned his Ph.D. in Agriculture from the University of Ibadan, following his first and second degrees from the University of Ilorin. He is a distinguished member of the Nigeria Society of Plant Protection (NSPP), Nigeria Society of Nematologists (NISON), Nigeria Society of Agricultural Biologists and Pesticidal Plant Society of Nigeria (PPSN) Additionally, he is a Fellow of the International Association of Research Scholars & Fellows (IARSAF/IITA), among other prestigious agricultural associations.
His educational background includes attending Mayflower School, Ikenne for his secondary education, and later pursuing his Higher School Certificate Education at the Federal Government College, Odogbolu.
Dr. Akinlesi has provided invaluable agricultural expertise to various organizations. He has offered technical support to AGRIQ, an Agricultural Extension Service Provider/Agency involved in the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), an International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) project.
Furthermore, he has served as a consultant to Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Gmbh, a German Government Agricultural Agency, on the Global Programme Innovation Centres and Clusters for Agriculture and the Food Sector in Nigeria. In this capacity, he led the Ogun State GIZ Team of the Farmer Business School (FBS) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) project.
Dr. Akinlesi has also been an integral member of the Ogun State Government Special Intervention Agricultural Project Team. Notably, he played a key role in reviewing and adapting a backgrounder on cassava production in Tanzania to the Nigerian context as part of a project sponsored by Farm Radio International, Ontario, Canada.
Before assuming the role of Permanent Secretary, Rotimi held various positions at the Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme (OGADEP), including Subject Matter Specialist (Crop Protection), Crop Specialist (FADAMA 3 Additional Funding Project), Deputy Director, and Zonal Manager of the Ijebu-Ode Zone.
In addition to his professional roles, Rotimi serves on the Board of Trustees and Board of Governors of several charitable organizations and schools. He has received numerous national and international awards and is a respected mentor to many individuals.
Rotimi was honoured with the 2016 Ogun State Merit Award for Most Outstanding Management Staff of the Year.
Rotimi’s leadership extends beyond his professional endeavours. He has served as Vice President (Africa) of ExMays Global Charity and as the Immediate Past National President of the Mayflower Old Students Association (MOSA). During his tenure as MOSA President, Rotimi oversaw the completion of over 50 projects and successfully advocated for significant renovations and construction at Mayflower School and also got the ears of Former Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to support the infrastructural development projects in the school.
Together with his wife, Rotimi founded the Less Privileged Children Encouragement Initiative (EI), a non-profit organization that has positively impacted the lives of over 100,000 less privileged children through various projects across multiple states in Nigeria.
As the Lead Trainer at EI Academy, Rotimi provides training on NGO matters and Sustainable Development issues, with over 400 individuals benefiting from the program. EI was once recognized with the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) Best Supportive NGO Award.
In addition to his professional and charitable work, Rotimi is a Christian minister, film actor, dramatist, and writer. His diverse talents and dedication to service make him a respected figure in both his professional and personal endeavors.
He is married to Dr. Bukunola Akinlesi, and together, they are blessed with three wonderful children.