The Oyo State Government has said it would not reverse its decision to rename The Polytechnic, Ibadan, after a former governor of the state, the late Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, despite the protest by students.
The Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, stated this on Wednesday while speaking on The Morning Brief, a Channels Television programme monitored by Mega Icon Magazine.
Students of the institution had on Tuesday stormed the state secretariat in Agodi, Ibadan, protesting against the renaming and demanding the restoration of the polytechnic’s original name.
Reacting, Oyelade described the protest as “miscarried and misplaced,” insisting that the state’s decision was taken in good faith and would not be reversed.
“Don’t forget, this was the same gentleman who, at the age of 35 in 1970, was appointed as the first rector of this institution,” Oyelade said.
“So, we believe that the protestation is rather miscarried and misplaced. We stand by that decision because it is a worthy decision for a worthy son of our state.”
The commissioner explained that while the government holds the students in high regard and is open to engaging them on other matters, it would stand firm on its position regarding the renaming of the institution.
“We respect our students a lot. We defer to them, and as the deputy governor said yesterday, we will do anything to bend over backwards to please them.
“But we will be fair, and we will be tough. This time around, we are sticking by our decision,” he said.
Governor Seyi Makinde had on June 26, 2025, officially renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan, as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, during the interdenominational funeral service held in honour of the late scholar and statesman at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Makinde, while speaking at the event, described the move as part of efforts to immortalise the former governor, who died on April 6, 2025.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo,” the governor said.
“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.”
Olunloyo was the pioneer principal of the polytechnic and served as governor of the old Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Meanwhile, Tuesday’s protest by students saw placard-carrying undergraduates marching to the state secretariat to express their displeasure over the renaming.
The students, led by the President of the Students’ Union Government, Olamide Oladipupo, appealed to Governor Makinde to rescind his decision, stressing that the polytechnic’s name holds historical and global value.
