The renaming of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, to Victor Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, continues to raise controversy, as the institution’s Alumni Association has formally appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to reverse his decision.
In a letter obtained by the media, signed by Professor Akinloye Lawal, Acting National President of the Alumni Association, the body described the governor’s decision as one that risks eroding the institution’s legacy, complicating global recognition, and weakening the emotional and historical ties of millions of Nigerians to the Polytechnic.
“The Polytechnic, Ibadan, is a brand name that should not be wished away. It is a legacy of the entire Western region, and Your Excellency should consider millions of Nigerians whose sentimental attachment to ‘The Polytechnic, Ibadan’ and the image as well as the brand name that will be lost as a result of this action,” the letter read.
Recalling the institution’s founding in 1970, following the merger of the Western Nigeria Technical College (South Campus) and the Western Nigeria College of Arts and Culture (North Campus), the alumni emphasised that the Polytechnic was never just for Ibadan, but for the entire Western Region.
“At the time of its founding, the vision was not just for Ibadan. It was for the old Western Region, and the goal was to transform it into a world-class institution. It has remained so during the tenure of about 20 Military and Civilian Governors and Administrators that had served the Western State, old Oyo State and current Oyo State before Your Excellency,” the letter stated.
They cautioned that the renaming could pose significant challenges to graduates worldwide, particularly in areas such as certificate verification, transcript processing, and institutional recognition.
“The whole academic world is computerised and thrives on interconnectivity… Old students in other tertiary institutions in Nigeria and abroad will definitely face daunting challenges on many fronts on verifications of certificates, transcripts, and allied requests all over the world.”
“Even the unnecessary cost of changing the records and documents of the institution will be enormous at this moment of economic downturn,” they added.
While the alumni acknowledged the historical role of Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, who briefly served as the Polytechnic’s first Principal, they stressed that the decision to rename the entire institution in his honour was misguided and potentially damaging.
“If this honour was done to H.E. Dr. Omololu Olunloyo in recognition of his being the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan for less than six months… it should be based on logical facts and proper analysis, not emotional,” they said.
