Makinde Under Fire Over Plans to Rename The Polytechnic Ibadan

Plans by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to rename The Polytechnic, Ibadan, after former Governor and renowned mathematician, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, have sparked widespread backlash from students, alumni, civil society organisations, and prominent indigenes of the state.

The late Olunloyo, who passed away in April 2025, was the first Ibadan indigene to serve as governor of the old Oyo State and was also the pioneer principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Governor Makinde announced his intention to rename the institution “Victor Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan” as a tribute to what he described as the late governor’s “eventful life and enduring legacy.”

However, the announcement was met with swift and intense criticism. Students of the institution took to the streets in protest, blocking the main entrance gates and the busy Sango-Eleyele Road in Ibadan, leaving hundreds of commuters and staff stranded. The disruption, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, was a dramatic display of discontent over what many described as an erasure of the institution’s historic identity.

The Students’ Union Government, in a strongly-worded statement signed by its President, Olamide Oladipupo, described the move as unjustifiable and degrading. The Union argued that for over five decades, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, has built a national reputation as a centre of academic excellence, producing graduates who have made significant contributions across various sectors. According to the Union, changing the name would undermine that legacy and sever the emotional and professional connections that many Nigerians have with the institution.

Oladipupo urged the governor to reconsider, saying, “Renaming the institution would erase its identity and legacy, causing irreparable harm to its reputation and alumni. We strongly believe that this decision is unjustifiable and disregards the rich heritage and history of our beloved school.”

Civil society groups also weighed in. The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) condemned the renaming as symbolic and superficial, warning that it does nothing to address the core challenges facing the school. In a statement issued by its Oyo State Coordinator, Abiodun Bamigboye, the group noted that the Polytechnic is suffering from poor funding, dilapidated infrastructure, casualisation of staff, and lack of transparent governance. According to Bamigboye, more than 80 percent of the institution’s workforce are casual staff working under exploitative conditions. He also accused the management of repressing union activities, citing the disruption of internal elections within the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).

Bamigboye called for a comprehensive development plan to improve learning conditions, staff welfare, and access to education through scholarships and bursaries. He insisted that until these fundamental issues are addressed, any name change would remain a hollow gesture.

Adding to the growing list of critics, former President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeyemi Soladoye, urged Governor Makinde to rescind the decision. Soladoye, an alumnus of the institution, argued that The Polytechnic, Ibadan, was established not just for Ibadan but for the entire Western Region, and has since earned continental recognition. He cautioned that reducing the institution to “individual status” dishonours its historical importance and pan-Yoruba legacy.

Soladoye appealed to the governor to learn from history, recalling how national outcry forced past leaders like former President Goodluck Jonathan to reverse controversial name changes, such as the attempted renaming of the University of Lagos. He warned Makinde not to be swayed by political sycophants and reminded him that “power is transient.”

“There are many great Ibadan indigenes worthy of immortalisation,” he said, “but The Polytechnic Ibadan is a legacy too significant to be touched by sentimental politics. Let us not downgrade an octopus to a totem.”

As opposition to the renaming grows, many stakeholders are calling for broader consultation, suggesting that immortalising Dr. Olunloyo could take other forms—such as naming a hall of residence, a lecture theatre, or a new academic block after him—rather than altering the institutional identity of a school that carries decades of heritage.

With mounting pressure from all fronts, the spotlight is now on Governor Makinde to decide whether to stand by his decision or yield to the voices urging him to preserve the legacy of The Polytechnic, Ibadan.