Students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest to the Oyo State Governor’s Office in Agodi, Ibadan, to express their opposition to the recent renaming of the institution.
The protest, which began at the school’s entrance, saw hundreds of students marching to the Oyo State Government Secretariat, blocking the main gates and causing heavy traffic around the area. Only pedestrians were allowed into the premises as a result of the demonstration.
The protest followed Governor ‘Seyi Makinde’s announcement last week renaming the institution to Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of the late educationist and scholar, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo.
Addressing the students, the Deputy Governor, Barr. Adebayo Lawal who was accompanied with some government functionaries received a protest letter from the protesting students and promised to deliver it to the Governor.
After the address, the Deputy Governor held a closed door meeting with the students. Addressing the press after the meeting, Victor Olojede, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Affairs, assured them that their concerns had been heard.
“On behalf of the Governor and the State Government, I have received your letter,” Olojede said. “We promise to transmit the letter to the Governor for onward processing. We want to assure you that whatever the Government is doing is in the best interest of the students and of education in Oyo State.”
The President of the Student Union Government (SUG), Oladipupo Olamide Daniel, emphasized that the students were not engaging in a revolt but were simply making their grievances known.
“Sincerely, this is not a protest,” he said. “We are not fighting the government; we are only here to communicate our message—that we want the Polytechnic Ibadan to retain its name.”
Daniel revealed that the student body had already written multiple letters to relevant authorities, including the Commissioner for Education and the Governor’s office, before deciding to visit the Secretariat.
He noted that while the Deputy Governor’s presence helped reduce tensions among the students, they now await a positive response from the Governor.
“The pressure is really much,” he added. “But we are hopeful. What we are looking forward to now is a positive response from His Excellency, the Governor.”
The students dispersed peacefully after the engagement, with the assurance that their letter and demands would be given due attention.
