Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo and President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), has reflected on his journey from a bus conductor to a powerful union leader, asserting that his practical experience gives him greater understanding than many university graduates. He spoke at the 50th birthday celebration and album launch of Islamic singer Hafsat Adegoke in Alausa, Lagos State, on Sunday, an event attended by Fuji musician Saheed Osupa.
Practical Knowledge Over Formal Education
MC Oluomo, who has often faced public ridicule over his spoken English and lack of formal schooling, said: “I didn’t go to school, but the knowledge and understanding I possess in my head are greater than those held by people with degrees.” He recounted starting work as a bus conductor from 12pm to 6pm at age 13, using his earnings to watch Indian movies at Danjuma Cinema and still supporting his mother. “That’s what I did until I got to this stage. I didn’t enter the NURTW as a bastard. I learned the work, mastered it, and got to where I am today,” he added.
Children’s Achievements as Proof
The 51-year-old union leader emphasised that despite being illiterate, he prioritised his children’s education. “I used to tell people that if I am uneducated, glory be to God. My children today are a doctor, a lawyer, and an engineer, and they are in America. God should not let our children die an untimely death,” he said. He pointed to their success as evidence that his lack of schooling did not hinder his commitment to education.
Humble Beginnings and Ties with Saheed Osupa
MC Oluomo also recalled his childhood connection to Saheed Osupa, noting that he used to eat at the home of Osupa’s mother, Taibatu Adelanwa. “That’s the King of Music, Saheed Osupa, sitting over there. We were having a conversation, and I bent down to greet him. He asked why I did that, and I said it was because he is older than I am, and secondly, because I ate Tuwo at his mother’s side when I was young. May her soul rest in peace. Osupa and I were so close; he knew everything about me, starting from my childhood days,” he narrated.
Criticism of Negligent Husbands
In his speech, MC Oluomo criticised married men who abandon their responsibilities. “I used to say that any man on earth who does not take care of his children is an enemy of God, because the person we are celebrating and spending money on today, if a time comes when we stop spending that money, will be left with only him and his children,” he stated. He claimed that 75% of women in Nigeria are mothers of multiple children who pay for school fees, accommodation, clothes, and food, while husbands neglect their duties.
Praise for Resilient Women
He praised women who have taken over responsibilities abandoned by their husbands. “If she has a mother, she will still be paying for her house rent, others, and if she has a sister, she will not want her sister to end up like her, not because they are widows. They have husbands, but because some men prefer paying school fees for children born outside their marriage rather than for their real children. But in their old age, they will cry,” MC Oluomo said.
MC Oluomo recently made headlines when he hosted Yoruba actor Olanrewaju “Baba Ijesha” James and his wife, fashion entrepreneur Abiodun Tokunbo, in Abuja.
