Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin: Nigerian king builds tuition-free school, provides free hostel, food, even teaches there

At Abolarin College in Oke-Ila, Osun state, the students pay no school fees, enjoy free hostel, free food, free internet, free uniform, free laptop for every child, and 24-hour power supply.

And all these expenses are paid by the town’s king. What is most shocking is that the king also teaches at the school.

What makes this school remarkable is that one major criterion for admission is being poor. If your parents are rich, you cannot get admission. Unlike other schools, Abolarin College wants poor kids who are very brilliant. If you are poor but brilliant, the king will admit you!

The king believes that poor brilliant kids should also be given equal opportunities to become something in life so that the future does not belong only to those born with silver spoons. The king himself has graduate and masters degrees in law, and also teaches in the school.

From what we gathered, the king has only one wife. Obviously, he is not using the money of the kingdom to accumulate wives or properties; instead, he is investing it in the education of future leaders while he aims to reduce the burden of illiteracy in society.

For him, it doesn’t matter the religion, it is not about nepotism, neither is it restricted to Yoruba children or only children from Oke Ila; it is about any less-privileged child anywhere who is willing to be educated. That is why the only criteria for admission are poverty and brilliance.

Many of these kids previously hawked pepper, sachet water, fruits etc. Some came from farms where all they did was work under the hot sun weeding and planting. Many are orphans, hawkers, child labourers, delinquents, children of petty traders, but now they have hope, and not just hope, a future.

Some kings may have more money than this king, but in years to come, King Abolarin’s impact will take him to the echelons of greatness. What if we also have many Northern sultans and emirs engaging in this? All across history, change begins with just a man! Dare to live differently, making an impact. It is what we do with money and our other resources that counts, for money has no value in itself!

This man is planting seeds that will blossom in the future. In the nearest years, that town will be filled with successful and accomplished people. I love this. God bless the king. This is one man that fully has my respect. We should celebrate such a Nigerian! This king is a legend and posterity will never forget him.

Kabiesi oooo ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin