Alumni urge Makinde to make U-turn on renaming Ibadan Poly after Olunloyo

Former students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan (TPI), under the aegis of The Polytechnic Alumni Association, wrote to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Wednesday, urging him to rescind his decision to rename their institution as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.

It would be recalled that Makinde last week announced the renaming of the polytechnic as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic. Olunloyo was the first Ibadan person to serve as the governor of old Oyo State. He served between October and December 1983.

Reacting to the decision, the Acting National President of the alumni, Prof. Akinloye Lawal, appealed to Makinde not to destroy the brand equity of the polytechnic.

The letter read in parts: ”We implore Your Excellency to please find something new within or outside The Polytechnic, Ibadan, to name after Dr Omololu Olunloyo as this one will downgrade the status of this institution of international repute that is very dear to the hearts of most of us who had the opportunity to passed through it.

Nigerians appealed to then President Goodluck Jonathan to rescind his decision to rename the University of Lagos after the late Bashorun MKO Abiola, and he listened. Ibadan people appealed to former President Muhammadu Buhari to give an Ibadan man the opportunity to be the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan after 73 years of its existence on our land; he agreed.

”We, the National Executive Council of The Polytechnic Alumni Association, on behalf of all past and current students of this great institution, appeal to Your Excellency to please have a rethink on the issue of this change of name. This will, therefore, not be something new if, in your exalted position, you consider the wider and long-term implications of the name change.

”Kindly recall, sir, that when the name of the famous Ibadan Boys’ High School was to be changed to Timothy Oyesina Boys’ High School, it was the Old Students’ Association under the respected Chief Bode Amoo that appealed to the government not to tamper with the brand name. The government obliged and named a hall after the individual. The government lost nothing by this gesture. We appeal to Your Excellency to treat the issue of TPI in the same manner. This kind gesture will not diminish Your Excellency nor that of your administration. Kindly hearken to our passionate and clarion call.”