John Olumba facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Olumba
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
In office January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2014
Preceded by	Bert Johnson
Succeeded by	Wendell Byrd
Constituency	5th district (2011–2012) 3rd district (2013–2014)
Personal details
Born	(1981-07-12) July 12, 1981 (age 43) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Charsha
Children	4
Alma mater	University of Michigan (BA) Northern Illinois University College of Law (JD) UCL Faculty of Laws
Profession	Politician
Website	olumbaforjustice.org

John Olumba, born on July 12, 1981, is an American lawyer and politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He served two terms as a representative in the Michigan House of Representatives. He represented the 3rd house district in Wayne County. This district covers parts of north central and eastern Detroit.

During his time in the House, he worked on several important committees. These included committees for justice, business, and economic growth. He also served on the House Appropriations Committee. Here, he was the chairman of Fiscal Oversight. He also helped with community health and corrections.

Early Life and Education

John Olumba was born in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up on the east side of the city with his mother and four sisters. He attended Miller Middle School. This school was also attended by other famous Detroit politicians.

He went to Cass Technical High School in Detroit. After high school, he studied at the University of Michigan. He earned a degree with a focus on both economics and political science. Later, he earned his law degree (Juris Doctor) from Northern Illinois University College of Law. He also studied at the UCL Faculty of Laws in London.

After finishing law school in 2007, Olumba helped at a homeless mission. He also worked at Starbucks Coffee. He tried to become a state representative in 2008 but did not win. He then worked as a school administrator. In his second attempt, he successfully became a representative.

Family Life

John Olumba met Charsha Mauldin when they were both students at the University of Michigan. They got married in 2008. This was after Charsha returned from serving in the Peace Corps in West Africa.

Together, they have six children. Their names are Eliezra, Keziah, Azariah, Emmanuel, Jubilee, and Ephraim. John Olumba is also a preacher.

Legislative Career

John Olumba served as a state representative for two terms. He worked on many important issues for Michigan and Detroit.

Leading the Fiscal Oversight Committee

In 2014, John Olumba became the chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee of Fiscal Oversight. This was a special achievement. It was one of the first times a representative not from the main party led a committee.

Investigations in Wayne County

As a representative, Olumba became well-known for starting an investigation. He asked federal authorities to look into the offices of the Wayne County Executive. He said he faced pressure to stop his investigation. He reported these incidents to federal authorities. This investigation led to some people being charged.

Near the end of his first term, Olumba also asked for an investigation into Detroit's mayor. He wanted the Michigan Attorney General to look into how money was used in two city departments.

First Term as State Representative (2010–2012)

In August 2010, Olumba won a very competitive primary election. He beat 15 other people by a large margin. In November 2010, he was elected to the Michigan State Legislature. He won by a landslide.

John Olumba's father came to Detroit from Africa. He was a student-activist during the Nigerian Civil War. When Olumba was elected, he became the first person of Nigerian heritage to hold a state office in Michigan.

Olumba caused some discussion within his party. He believed that the Emergency Manager Law could have been stopped. He suggested that his party could have used a filibuster. He also introduced a large package of bills. He called them the Detroit Reinvestment and Restructuring Omnibus. These bills were designed to help revitalize the city. It was the biggest bill package ever for Detroit.

During his first term, Olumba served on the House Judiciary and Commerce Committees. He also worked on a special subcommittee for Economic Development and Trade.

Second Term as State Representative

In his first term, Olumba represented the 5th house district. This district included Highland Park and Hamtramck. For his second term, the districts were redrawn. Olumba was then in the 3rd district. He won a tough primary election against another representative. He then won the general election with 96 percent of the votes. The 3rd district is unique because it is entirely within Detroit.

On February 19, 2013, Olumba began to work more independently. He felt that the Michigan House Democrats were not focusing enough on urban or African American issues. He pointed out that Detroit pays a lot of taxes. However, he felt that Detroiters and African Americans were not well-represented on important committees.

Election Results