Dr. (Olorogun) John Richard Iyasere was born into the family of the Late Pa Emmanuel IYASERE Emahwena and Late Madam Atajomavwe IYASERE of Oghara Agbarha-Otor in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State on May 16, 1946 at NIFOR near Benin City in Edo State as a twin.

He started his Primary Education at Ode-Ajagba in Okitipupa Division of the present day Ondo State in January 1954 and concluded his Primary School First Leaving Certificate Examination at the CMS Primary School Agbarha-Otor in the Year 1960 with Grade A.

The following year he gained admission into St. Francis’ Catholic Secondary Modern School where he obtained the Secondary Modern School Certificate in the Year 1963 in flying colours. In the Year 1964, he proceeded to the famous St. Thomas’ Teachers College, Ibusa where he obtained the Teachers’ Grade II certificate in flying colours.

In the Year 1967, he enrolled as a private student for the London G.C.E. Ordinary Level and passed all the six subjects at a sitting and thereafter sat for the London G.C.E Advanced Level in the Year 1968 and also passed four subjects (scoring A, A, B, C.) at a sitting.  

In the Year 1969, he gained admission into the then four functioning Universities in Nigeria – University of Ibadan to read Geography, University of Lagos to read Accountancy, University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) to read Economics and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria to study Architecture. Dr. John Iyasere chose the University of Ibadan to study Geography and graduated with a Second Class, Upper Division in the Year 1972 and he was also the Best graduating student from the Department of Geography in the 1971/1972 Academic Session which earned him four scholarship awards to pursue the Postgraduate courses.

Olorogun J. R. Iyasere, a trained teacher, has taught at all levels of Education in Nigeria and outside Nigeria. Between 1967 and 1968, he taught in 3 Primary Schools and a Secondary Modern School under the SS Peter and Paul Catholic Parish, Ughelli and in the Year 1969, he also taught briefly at St. Theresa’s Girls’ College, Ughelli.

After his first degree, Dr. J. R. Iyasere secured employment with Mandilas Enterprise Limited in July 1972 as a Management Trainee in Lagos. On completion of the management training, he was posted to Mandilas Motors Effurun near Warri as the first Administration Manager in 1973. In January 1975, he was transferred on secondment to Edok-Eter-Mandilas Limited, an Engineering Construction Company in Benin City as a staff manager from 1975 – 1980. He was elevated as Head of Administration from 1981 – 1987 when he resigned from paid employment after working for 15 years as a university graduate in the Mandilas Group of Companies.  

In the year 1983, RIMA Enterprises Ltd, a Food Processing and Engineering Construction Company was established as a Family business with lovely wife, Barr. (Mrs.) Mary A. Iyasere as the Managing Director and Dr. J. R. Iyasere as non-Executive Chairman.

In the Year 1992, Olorogun Richard Iyasere also established Tegason Limited, an Engineering Construction Company involved in Building Construction, Construction of Thermal Stations and Installation of Electricity in towns and villages in Delta State and the Niger Delta Region.

Having been in the business/corporate world for 15years and when he felt he had garnered necessary and sufficient corporate experience through the practice of business management science and attendance of and participation in various management courses and seminars in and outside Nigeria, Olorogun Iyasere took time off work for further studies at the University of Benin where he bagged a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, MBA, in 1989.

Still in pursuit of more academic laurels, Olorogun J. R. Iyasere studied widely and extensively with a crowning glory conferred on him again by the University of Benin with a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Business Administration in 2002/2003 Session.

Dr. John Richard Iyasere is a Philanthropist par Excellence, a gifted distributor of the blessings of God. He is a blessing to his family, his community, his generation and the Church of God. He is the current Chairman of the Board of Directors of Project Charilove, Benin City, a unique NGO taking care, empowering and training physically challenged children, youth and adults. He has also been President and Patron of many social or service clubs among which are:

• Vee Club of Nigeria – 1983 to 1985
• Benin City (Doyen) Lions Club – 1990
• Ufuoma Socio-Cultural Club, Benin City – 2003 to 2005
• Urhobo Students Union, UNIBEN
• Urhukpe Social Club of Nigeria.

Dr. John Richard Iyasere is a devout practicing Roman Catholic Christian and he has been a very active worker in the church as underlined below by his church activities –

1. Chairman of Investments and Projects Committee of the Archdiocesan Finance Commission, Archdiocese of Benin City.
2. Vice Chairman, Archdiocese of Benin City Project Monitoring Committee
3. Chairman of Immaculate Conception Zone of St. Paul Catholic Church for 7years.
4. Vice Chairman, Parish Pastoral Council, St. Paul Catholic Church, Benin City.
5. Treasurer, Laity Council, St. Paul Catholic Church, Benin City.- 2001 – 2005
6. Vice-Chairman, Parish Finance Council.
7. Chairman, Harvest Central Planning Committee (CPC), St. Paul Catholic Church, Benin City – 2005.
8. Deputy Chairman, Parish Fund Raising Committee for the Reconstruction of St. Paul Catholic Church, Benin City – 2008 to 2013.
9. Chairman, Rededication Committee, St. Paul Catholic Church – 2013.
10. Founder, St. Paul Mercy Fund, St. Paul Catholic Church, Benin City.
11. Grand Patron of Catholic Men Organisation, St. Paul Catholic Church.
12. Patron of many Societies and Apostolate Groups in the Church – CYON, CHOIR, CWO, Catholic Corpers, St. Jude Society, etc.
13. He single handedly funded the building of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church and the Parish House at Agbarha-Otor, his home town.

For his selfless services to mankind especially his community and the Church, Dr. John Richard Iyasere has received various awards among which are:

1. Chieftaincy Title – The “Echie” (Gateway) of Agbarha Kingdom in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State in recognition of his contributions to community development.
2. Merit Award by CYON Benin Deanery – 2000
3. Merit Award by CYON, St. Paul Catholic Church, Benin City.
4.  Pillar of CMO, Archdiocese of Benin City.
5. Award of Excellence, CMO St. Paul Catholic Church.
6. Award of Excellence University of Ibadan Alumni Association 2008
7. Award of Honour by the Catechists Association of the Archdiocese of Benin City.
8. Award of Excellence by Blessed Tansi Catholic Church, Benin City.
9. Award of Excellence by Benin Catholic Archdiocesan Laity Council 2015
10. Award of Excellence by Agbarha Students Union –etc.

Dr. John Richard Iyasere is a man of exemplary humility, a lover of the poor, a wonderful model of family man, a happy servant of God and a giver of unconditional service to humanity and he has sponsored over 35 boys and girls through tertiary institutions – some of whom are now successful adults.