STUDENTS of The Polytechnic Ibadan took to the streets yesterday, staging a protest at the Oyo State Government Secretariat in opposition to the recent decision by Governor Seyi Makinde to rename the institution after the late former governor, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo.
The protesting students carried placards with various messages, urging the governor to reverse the renaming and retain the institution’s original name.
They expressed concern over what they described as a disregard for the polytechnic’s long-standing legacy and identity.
Leading the protest, President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Olamide Oladipupo, emphasized that the name “The Polytechnic Ibadan” holds significant heritage and recognition both locally and internationally.
He appealed to Governor Makinde to reconsider the decision announced last week during Olunloyo’s funeral at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan.
In response, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security, Sunday Odukoya, addressed the demonstrators and urged them to remain peaceful while their concerns are being reviewed.
Governor Makinde had officially renamed the institution “Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan” on June 26, citing the late mathematician’s contributions as the institution’s first principal and his brief tenure as governor of Oyo State in 1983.
This renaming comes amid growing national debate over the practice of naming universities after political figures.
Similar recent changes—such as renaming the University of Abuja to Yakubu Gowon University and the University of Lagos to Moshood Abiola University—have sparked strong opposition from students and alumni.