Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s reversal of his renaming the University of Lagos after the late June 12 1993 elections hero, Chief MKO Abiola seems to have birthed a new culture of resistance to such an executive action in the polity.
In his 2012 Democracy Day broadcast on May 29, Jonathan defended that act, referencing Abiola’s role in the enthronment of democratic government after his death on June 8, 1998. He, however, met a brickwall in a sustained protest, especially by the alumni of the Unilag, a development that impelled the president to take a retreat and maintain the status quo till he exited office in 2015.
On Thursday in Ibadan, at the interdenominational funeral service for the former Oyo State governor, Dr Omololu Olunloyo, the incumbent, ‘Seyi Makinde, renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan in honour of the renowned mathematician who incidentally was the pioneer principal of the Polytechnic founded in August 1970.
Olunloyo died on April 6, 2025, and the service for him held inside the main bowl of the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, formerly Liberty Stadium.
At the occasion, Makinde said Olunloyo lived an eventful life and that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence, as he was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and a man of deep conviction.
He further said: “Baba left an enduring footprint on the sands of Oyo State and, indeed, Nigeria as a whole. He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.”
Driving home is point as justification for his decision, Makinde said, “I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
As though they had waited and anticipated the breaking news, a group wearing the tag of concerned ex-students of the institution headed by one Dr Ismail Adewoyin, in a fury, hit the air with a petition against the governor’s decision, arguing that the new name is an attack on what they called the legacy and identity of their alma mater.
“The Polytechnic, Ibadan has stood tall for over 50 years, earning recognition for its academic excellence, innovative research, and technological advancements. Renaming the institution would erase its historical significance and diminish the achievements of countless alumni who have made their mark in various fields,” they stated.
They urged the governor to broaden his options on his intention to immortalise Olunloyo’s legacy, whom they acknowledged is worthy a state honour.
“We respectfully request that you rescind the decision to rename The Polytechnic, Ibadan and allow our beloved institution to retain its original name, which has carried our diplomas and certificates with pride” Adewoyin noted.
Director-General of the Ekiti State Board of Tourism, Ambassador Wale Ojo-Lanre, however, took an opposite side to the concerned ex-students, instead praising the governor and praying for him for his right discretion.
Ojo-Lanre wrote, “God bless Gov Makinde! Dr Omololu Sowemimo Olunloyo was the first ever Lecturer/ Rector of the The Polytechnic Ibadan Oyo State.”
Published on June 28, 2025
Leave a Reply