The Oyo State Government has insisted that the renaming of The Polytechnic Ibadan after a former governor of the state, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, remains unchanged despite protests by students.
The state’s Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday.
Oyelade explained that the decision to rename the institution as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, is a worthy step to honour the late former governor, who made significant contributions to the state’s development.
“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.
“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 added that while the government respects the views of the students, the decision to immortalise Olunloyo is irreversible.
“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, announced the renaming of the institution during the funeral of Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025. The decision has since sparked protests from students demanding the reversal of the new name, arguing that the existing name carries global recognition and legacy.
