The Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum and Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has described the late Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo as a rare breed of intellectual and technocrat whose legacy transcends politics, engineering, and education.
In a heartfelt condolence message issued on behalf of the Southern Governors Forum on Sunday, Abiodun said Olunloyo, who passed away just days shy of his 90th birthday, “was highly distinguished, even among geniuses.”
“Dr. Omololu Olunloyo wasn’t just brilliant—he was exceptional, a man whose mind operated far ahead of his time. He brought intellectual excellence into governance and public service,” Abiodun said in the statement released in Abeokuta.
The late Olunloyo, a former governor of Oyo State, mathematician, engineer, and revered scholar, served briefly from October 1 to December 31, 1983. Yet, his impact went far beyond his time in office.
Describing the Balogun of Oyo and Otun Bobasewa of Ife as “a titan who left legacies every Nigerian should be proud of,” Governor Abiodun recalled the astounding academic feats of the deceased.
“The story of his academic journey reads like a fairy tale, yet every detail is real. In 1947, he was the only candidate admitted into Government College, Ibadan from Standard 5—among 2,002 applicants, only ten got in, and he stood out,” Abiodun remarked.
He further narrated how Olunloyo earned his Higher School Certificate in just three months, topped the old Ibadan Province, and gained admission into the University of St Andrews in Scotland to study Mechanical Engineering.
“Such was his brilliance that he convinced the university to admit him into 200 level directly and graduated with First Class honours by age 26,” he said, adding that Olunloyo became a state commissioner at just 27.
Abiodun said Olunloyo’s intellectual agility remained sharp even in old age. “Despite being an octogenarian, Baba still quoted Shakespeare from memory and never needed reading glasses. He remained an active thinker, a lover of poetry, and an inspiration to younger leaders regardless of party lines.”
He emphasized that the Southern Governors Forum shares in the grief of the people of Oyo State and extended deep condolences to Governor Seyi Makinde, the government, and Olunloyo’s family.
“On behalf of the Southern Governors Forum, I commiserate with His Excellency, Governor Seyi Abiodun Makinde, and the government and people of Oyo State. This is not just Oyo’s loss; it is a national one. May God grant Dr. Olunloyo eternal rest and comfort those he left behind.”
Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo was the first Rector of The Polytechnic Ibadan and later the first Rector of Kwara State Polytechnic. He was widely respected for his intellectual depth, his dedication to public service, and his contributions to education and governance in Nigeria.
