Students and alumni of The Polytechnic, Ibadan have voiced strong opposition to the recent decision by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to rename the institution after the late former governor and its first rector, Omololu Olunloyo.
Governor Makinde made the announcement on Thursday, sparking immediate backlash. In a statement released Friday in Ibadan, the President of the Students’ Union Government, Oladipupo Olamide, described the move as disappointing and ill-advised.
“This decision undermines the institution’s legacy and identity,” Olamide said. “For over five decades, The Polytechnic, Ibadan has symbolized academic excellence. Renaming it threatens to erase a history that generations have built.”
He urged the governor to reconsider and expressed readiness to engage in dialogue to find a more acceptable way to honor Olunloyo.
Alumni also voiced their disapproval. Yomi Akande, an alumnus and leader of the Non-Academic Staff Union, acknowledged Olunloyo’s contributions but said the name change offers no practical benefit.
“The name ‘The Polytechnic, Ibadan’ is a brand recognized across the globe,” Akande stated. “Changing it does nothing to improve the institution or its reputation.”
Stakeholders continue to call for a reversal of the decision, citing the institution’s historical significance and the need to preserve its established identity.
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