History of the Royal International Nursery and Primary School and Royal Comprehensive College
Royal International Nursery & Primary school started as a lesson in 1985 at our uncompleted property located at Fatade, Baruwa, Ipaja, Lagos. Prior to this, my wife; Mrs Iyabode Aderibigbe Oni had worked with Nursery schools at Bright Star schools and Shewa Nursery, both at Somolu/Bariga in Alimosho Local Government, Lagos State. Consequent upon our relocation from Somolu to Abesan Estate popularly called “Jakande Estate” she resigned from the latter school in December, 1983. Upon settling down in our new location, God gave us a plot of land where the school started. I, while fully engaged in my office as a Personnel manager of a multinational company at Sango Ota, Ogun State encouraged her to convert the lesson to Nursery school. The lesson started with only 5 pupils, 2 of which were our children, 2 from our family friends and only 1 from our neighbor.
By January 1986, the number had risen to almost 15. One of the initial challenges we had at that time was that the place was very bushy and the area was not developed at all. That made the admission of the children very difficult. However, we had divine grace that, it was not long afterwards that the State government opened the road in front of our property. By the end of 1987, the population of the pupils had gone up tremendously to the glory of God. By January 1988, the building was completed and fully erected into a four flats bedroom painted and well decorated in readiness to full blown Nursery and Primary school.
A process for the pre-approval was commenced. Forms were obtained from the Lagos State Ministry of Education. Then, several inspections were carried out by the officials of the ministry. In September 1988, the first final inspection was undertaken by the ministry in readiness for the final approval. Mandatory fees were paid to the ministry and a date was fixed for the approval. The report of the inspection was handed over to the Proprietress by the ministry.
Finally by early 1989, the officials of Lagos state ministry of education under the then Director General, Dr. Odugbesan, came for the pre- inspection. In September 1989, full approval was granted to the school, to be known as Royal International Nursery and Primary school. Then, I became the Director of the School while my wife is the Proprietress of the school. The same year, we were granted permission by the State and local governments to write CAS, that is the primary six examination. In 2019, the primary section was moved from 29 Fatade Road, Baruwa to the permanent site at 9/13 Idowu Oni close, Candos 2 storey, Baruwa Ipaja Lagos State.
In September 1995 the College was opened with 17 students. 10 junior secondary 1 while 7 joined us as foundation members in junior secondary 2. We experienced a lot of issues from the land speculators who extorted money from us under the pretext, and threat that the land belonged to them. On the very day that the school was opened, precisely 15th September 1995, I also enrolled at the University of Lagos on part time to study law. In 1997, some land speculators came and disrupted the school’s activities. Thank God, I was already exposed to the law related to land acquisition.
In 1998, the school had grown to a very high proportion in population. Already fenced and more classes constructed to the glory of God. Later that year, we approached the Lagos State Ministry of Education for a pre- approval inspection. A Series of tough pre-approval inspections were conducted and in the year 2000, the final approval was granted to the college by the Lagos state and Federal Ministry of Education, to write the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO). We give God the glory. That year, our senior secondary school students (SSS3) were registered for both exams and we had a very good result. We have since then been writing the WAEC and NECO examinations to the glory of God.