As schools across the country resume for the second term, and parents make effort to pay their children’s fees, one person who is vexed by the exorbitant levies is Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, aka K-1 de Ultimate.
Infuriated with the demand of N1million by an unnamed school for his three-year-old child, the musician described the situation as a ‘rape’ and denial of the child’s fundamental right to quality education.
“How can a three year old be given a school fee of N1million, just because you want the child to have an early foundation? If this is applicable in other countries, then there is problem in the world, because nobody will have access to good education,” he said.
Brandishing the document which described the fee as Development Levy, the musician expressed his anger in the presence of his manager, Bayo Olasoju and a few guests at the R&A, Lamex, Ikeja, Lagos last week, saying: “Honestly, the Nigerian leaders have failed in their social responsibility. What kind of development levy do you ask for a child that will be three years old in February – such outrageous fee. I have informed her (his wife) that we are going to court. I will fight that case; I have also informed her that I will sponsor and champion that cause in the press and internet.”
When told that he has a choice to public schools, the musician said irrespective of choices, education should be affordable by all. “We will take this up with the federal government. This is total denial to good education for citizens. No public school is functioning; the National Assembly should be called to order to make pronouncements that says all private schools should be banned. They are talking about corruption but corruption starts from the grassroots and if you do not stop this nonsense then corruption will continue. How can somebody being paid N2 million per annum afford to send children to school? That’s nonsense, you are earning N2 million per annum and you have two kids, how do you get them to good school? How do you pay for your living? I’m going to take it up, I am going to make a serious touch on education and the leadership.
“It is a rape. We want to raise a better society. If President Muhammadu Buhari must score points, then he needs to go into the educational sector and handle it.”
Asked why he has not considered an elective position despite his long involvement in partisan politics, he said: “Must everybody come out to serve? Must everybody come out to take elective office? Very many people you see today in politics are there for different reasons. Some are there because of their self benefits, some are there simply because they want to register their names in the book as a member of House of Representatives or House of Assembly or as Commissioner. But what about millions of others who add great values to the political party they choose by serving their constituencies in personal capacity and making sure that people around them benefit good services from the government.”
K-1 said of his type of person in politics: “There are many people there who are mobilisers whom people seeking political offices can’t afford to joke with because of their good standing in the community. I prefer to be one who has a good standing in the community and constituency that will be of great value for anybody coming around.”
