How Royal Legends Academy became big in Ikorodu – Proprietor, Adeniyi Balogun

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Mr. Shakiru Adeniyi Balogun, proprietor of Royal Legends Academy, Ikorodu, Lagos, is a passionate educationist, mentor and philanthropist who believes that education should go beyond academics to prepare young people for life and leadership.

Established in September 2022, Royal Legends Academy has, within four years, grown into a respected educational institution in the Owode-Ibeshe axis of Ikorodu. The school recently held its 4th Annual Graduation and Prize-Giving Ceremony, during which 50 students graduated from JSS 3 and SS 3.

In this interview with CityPeople reporter, Jamiu Abubakar (08085185886), Balogun speaks about the school’s journey, the philosophy behind its establishment, its impressive academic performance, the meaning behind the name Royal Legends Academy, his vision for the institution and what makes the school different.

Congratulations on the successful 4th Annual Graduation and Prize-Giving Ceremony. What is the feeling like?

It is a wonderful feeling, and I am highly delighted to witness another milestone in the history of Royal Legends Academy.

Today marks our fourth graduation ceremony cum prize-giving day. The school took off in September 2022, and since then, we have continued to grow and produce students who are prepared for the next stage of their academic journey.

So, witnessing our fourth graduation ceremony today is a moment of great joy and thanksgiving for me, the management, members of staff, parents and the entire school community.

Looking back, how would you describe the performance of Royal Legends Academy over the years?

It has been a success story from the beginning until now.

When we started the school, we enrolled students across the various classes, groomed them and prepared them for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) within a relatively short period.

Our students performed excellently in their examinations, and virtually all those who have graduated have proceeded to universities and other tertiary institutions.

It has been a success story year after year. We have recorded outstanding performances right from the lower classes to the graduating classes, and this current academic session is no exception.

We give all the glory to God and also appreciate our dedicated team of teachers and staff who are passionately impacting not only academic knowledge but also useful life skills into our students.

I am confident that wherever our students find themselves, they will be able to stand out and compete favourably with students from some of the best schools in Nigeria. I am very proud of them.

What inspired you to establish Royal Legends Academy four years ago?

I have always been passionate about education and children.

For your information, we already have a nursery and primary school called Peerage Private School. That school had been grooming students who would eventually proceed to secondary education.

When we started constructing this permanent site for the secondary school, we were able to feed students from JSS 1 to SS 3 because, by the time the secondary school was ready, we already had students from Peerage Private School who were progressing into the secondary classes.

So, the establishment of Royal Legends Academy was a natural progression.

But Royal Legends Academy is not just another school. It is a purpose-built institution designed to build future leaders.

We focus on academic excellence, moral development, leadership skills and the overall development of the child. We want our students to be properly equipped to face the challenges of the future.

Royal Legends Academy is a unique name. How did you come about it?

The name was not chosen randomly. It was carefully thought out because we are intentional about what we want to achieve with the school.

When you hear the word “Royal,” it connotes nobility, excellence and distinction. A royal is not regarded as an ordinary person.

Then we have “Legend.” A legend is someone who distinguishes himself or herself through exceptional achievements in a chosen field.

That is exactly what we want our students to become.

We do not want ordinary students. We want to nurture extraordinary young people who will become legends in their chosen fields and endeavours.

That is why the name Royal Legends Academy is very significant to us. We are not just carrying the name; we are living by it.

Our motto is “Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow.” The theme of this year’s programme is also centred on Honouring Excellence, Launching Greatness.

We are passionate about what we do, and we believe that every student who passes through Royal Legends Academy is destined for greatness.

Tell us about this year’s graduation and prize-giving ceremony.

Today’s event is another milestone in the history of the school.

We have been organising our graduation cum prize-giving ceremony annually since the inception of the school. But beyond the celebration, we want our graduating students to understand that they have learnt valuable lessons and acquired skills that will help them wherever they find themselves.

We expect them to become good ambassadors of Royal Legends Academy.

As for the prize-giving aspect, I want to make something very clear: coming first, second or third in class does not define a student’s future.

At Royal Legends Academy, everyone is a winner because we understand that every child has God-given talents, abilities and destiny.

The fact that some students received awards today does not mean those who were not awarded are inferior. We encourage every student to work harder, believe in themselves and understand that an award or the absence of an award does not determine their future.

Every child is destined for greatness in his or her own individual pursuit.

That is the message I want them to take away from today’s ceremony.

How many students graduated today?

We have 31 students graduating from JSS 3 into the senior secondary class, while 19 students are graduating from SS 3.

So, in total, we have 50 graduands today.

We are very hopeful that at least 90 per cent, if not all of them, will gain admission into tertiary institutions.

Our students actually sat for JAMB this year, and many of them scored 300 and above. The lowest score among them was also above 250.

When the WASSCE results started coming out, it gladdened my heart to see that our students performed very well.

We have recorded some outstanding results in some subjects, and we are hopeful that as the remaining results are released, our students will continue to come out in flying colours.

What gives me the greatest joy is seeing our products doing well. I believe the sky is not even the limit for them. They are all destined for greatness.

What is your vision for Royal Legends Academy in the next five years?

Establishing this school has never been primarily about making money. My major objective is to groom responsible future leaders.

We are not only interested in giving students academic knowledge. We want to develop them holistically so that they can face whatever challenges they may encounter in the future.

In the next five years, I see Royal Legends Academy becoming one of the best schools in Nigeria, and certainly one of the leading schools within this environment.

Our dream is to build an institution that will be outstanding and unparalleled in the neighbourhood.

When we built this school, we did not build it merely to fill a gap in the education sector. We built it to make a real impact in the lives of our students.

And so far, I have not been disappointed.

Virtually all our students are making me proud, and the parents have also been very cooperative. We have achieved these milestones together — the students, parents, teachers and the entire school community.

By next year, we expect to have graduates from higher institutions who passed through this school. Some of our former students are already in their third year at the university, and we have students studying various disciplines, including medicine, engineering, sciences, humanities and other professional courses.

So, by next year, we should begin to see some of our products graduating from universities.

That gives me great joy.

For the students graduating from Royal Legends Academy today, we expect the vast majority of them to gain admission this year. We hope that five years from now, they will look back and thank God that their parents made the right decision by enrolling them at Royal Legends Academy.

That is my dream and that is what gives me joy.

What should parents who want to enrol their children at Royal Legends Academy do?

Parents are welcome to come and see what we are doing.

Recently, a parent came to make enquiries and was surprised that our tuition is actually affordable compared with the kind of infrastructure and facilities we have in place.

She told us that she was initially afraid to come because she thought our fees would probably be in millions of naira. But when she came and made enquiries, she discovered that our fees are quite affordable.

So, I encourage parents to come and see what we are doing. They can make enquiries about our tuition, academic programmes and extracurricular activities.

We established this school not simply to make money, but to impact the lives of young people and prepare them to become responsible leaders and successful individuals in their chosen endeavours.

That is my dream.

I encourage parents to enrol their children in Royal Legends Academy. We believe we provide excellent value for money, and I assure parents that any student who passes through this citadel will be properly equipped to excel in his or her chosen field.

It is not only about academics. We also groom our students in life skills and teach them how to become useful and responsible members of society.

Finally, can you tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Mr. Shakiru Adeniyi Balogun, proprietor of Royal Legends Academy. I am from Oyo, Oyo Alaafin, in Oyo State.

I am passionate about education and about imparting useful life skills into young people.

I am a mentor, a philanthropist and, above all, a God-fearing person.

I channel my philanthropic activities through Lions Clubs International, where I have served at the highest levels of the organisation’s leadership structure.

My passion is to contribute positively to society, particularly by investing in the younger generation.

For me, education is one of the most powerful ways to shape the future. That is why I remain committed to building Royal Legends Academy into an institution that will continue to produce responsible, confident, competent and exceptional young Nigerians.