Lagos, Nigeria – April 22, 2025
President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Musiliu Akinsanya—popularly known as MC Oluomo—has addressed widespread ridicule surrounding his recent mispronunciation of the word “kudos” as “kundusi,” offering a spirited defense of his background and achievements.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, Akinsanya acknowledged his limited formal education but emphasized the success of his children, who are citizens of both the United States and the United Kingdom.
“I might not understand the English language, but I understand Yoruba,” he told a gathering of NURTW delegates on Tuesday. “Grammar won’t finish Nigeria.”
Akinsanya, a prominent figure in Lagos’s transport ecosystem and political circles, has faced mockery after mistakenly saying “kundusi” while praising the efforts of NURTW members in the Federal Capital Territory. The video quickly drew criticism and jokes online, with many questioning his communication skills given his national leadership position.
But the union leader was unapologetic.
“‘Kundusi’—what happened?” he asked rhetorically. “You that are educated, what have you done? I might not be educated, but I trained my children well. They are highly educated and can express themselves better than many.”
Akinsanya recounted his journey from humble beginnings as a bus conductor to becoming the national president of the influential transport union. “I started as a bus conductor, then rose through the ranks—unit treasurer, chairman, branch chairman, state chairman—until I became the national president,” he said. “I worked hard to get here.”
Referencing criticism of his grammar, Akinsanya joked, “Is my child not named Qudus? So if I say ‘kundusi,’ what’s the issue?”
His children have often come to his defense on social media. In 2022, one of his sons, who identifies as King West on Instagram, lashed out at critics who referred to his father as a “tout,” writing: “If my father was your father, you would never lack love, care, [or] protection. Get a father like mine.”
Despite the backlash, Akinsanya appears unfazed by the mockery, instead framing his story as one of resilience, hard work, and dedication to family—language fluency notwithstanding.