Students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, have staged a massive protest at the Oyo State Government Secretariat over the renaming of their institution after the late former governor of the state, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo.
The protest brought movement to a halt along the busy Sango–Eleyele Road, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded. The demonstrators also blocked the institution’s gates, demanding a reversal of the government’s decision.
Recall that Governor Seyi Makinde had recently announced the renaming of the Polytechnic to “Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan” in honour of the late elder statesman who passed on at the age of 89. The decision, however, sparked outrage among students who say they were not consulted.
“Our school is not for political branding,” one protesting student shouted, as placards bearing messages like “#RestoreOurName,” “Poly Ibadan Forever,” and “We Say No to Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic” flooded the protest scene.
Olunloyo, a renowned mathematician, was the first Ibadan native to serve as governor of old Oyo State. While some alumni and political stakeholders have praised the renaming as a tribute to a distinguished son of the soil, students insist the move is unnecessary and imposed.
