- Abisoye Oyeyemi Oshodi, popularly known as Balogun of Eko, has apologized to Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa over a viral video.
- Oshodi had earlier accused the minister of attempting to privatize King’s College Lagos.
- He said he later understood the proposed plan was a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) aimed at reviving the historic school.
Abisoye Oyeyemi Oshodi, popularly known as Balogun of Eko, has publicly apologized to Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, following remarks he made in an earlier video where he referred to the minister as a “thief.”
Eko Hot Blog reports that in a new video released on Saturday, Oshodi retracted his statement and expressed regret over the language he used while reacting to reports surrounding the alleged privatization of King’s College Lagos.
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According to him, the initial video was made on May 23, 2026, based on information available to him at the time regarding concerns that the prestigious federal school could become too expensive for average Nigerians under a proposed reform plan.
“I honestly take it back, I sincerely apologize for my usage of words,” Oshodi said in the video.
He explained that several individuals reached out to him after the video surfaced, urging him to reconsider his comments and informing him about the minister’s contributions both in Nigeria and abroad.
“They made me realize the contributions you have made in the whole United States of America. They said you are trying to make sure that the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not fail nor falter,” he stated.
Oshodi noted that his concerns were largely driven by fears that the school could become inaccessible to children from low-income families if privatized.
He said he later learned that the proposed arrangement being discussed was a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative intended to restore the deteriorating infrastructure of the institution established in 1909.
“But afterwards, I heard that it was PPP, because the stage at which the school is is bad, and a prestigious school that was built in 1909 should not be in that state,” he added.
Despite his apology, Oshodi maintained that stakeholders, including members of the school’s old boys association, should be involved in discussions about the future of the institution.
He mentioned notable alumni such as Bukola Saraki and other prominent Nigerians, saying they could contribute ideas towards improving the school without placing financial burdens on ordinary citizens.
“The minimum wage of an average Nigerian is about N77,000. So, if a school fee is about N2 million, how does a poor person send their children to school?” he queried.
Oshodi also revealed that he attempted to contact the minister’s office before making his initial claims but received no response.
The controversy comes amid ongoing public discussions about the state of federal unity schools and possible reforms aimed at improving infrastructure and standards across the country.
