In the long and rich history of Nigeria’s higher education, few institutions have stood as tall, as proud, and as transformative as The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
Since its founding in 1970, the name “The Polytechnic Ibadan” has not only become a beacon of academic excellence but a heritage—etched into the hearts and identities of hundreds of thousands of alumni who have passed through its storied gates.
Yet today, this heritage is under siege.
A unilateral decision—bereft of wide consultations with critical stakeholders—has rebranded our beloved institution as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan. This is not just a name change; it is an identity theft.
Let it be known: this is not an attack on the legacy of Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo. He is a respected mathematician, an accomplished intellectual, a former Governor of Oyo State, and a towering son of Ibadan.
No one can dispute his towering contributions to politics, science, and discourse in Nigeria. But what is his direct connection to The Polytechnic, Ibadan?
He neither founded the school, served as its rector, nor transformed it during any momentous era in its history.
There are dozens of institutions more fitting for this honour—The School of Nursing, Eleyele for instance, or a newly built academic complex that can carry his name with dignity and context.
But The Polytechnic, Ibadan? That name is ours. It is the very soul of our alma mater. It belongs to us, the alumni, the lecturers, the students, the workers, and the city of Ibadan that raised it.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME
Let us remember the precedent of the University of Lagos (UNILAG). In 2012, the Federal Government under President Goodluck Jonathan announced a name change of UNILAG to Moshood Abiola University, to honour the martyr of democracy. But what happened?
UNILAG students, staff, and alumni rose in fierce, coordinated, and lawful protest. They went to court, they made their voices heard, and they won. The government was forced to reverse the change.
This is our moment to replicate that victory.
We must remember that a name is not just semantics—it is the root of identity. From the certificates we carry, to the pride in our chests, to the global brand we’ve all worked so hard to elevate—The Polytechnic, Ibadan has stood as a symbol of discipline, excellence, and resilience.
It cannot be traded overnight by a signature on a memo.
THE LEGAL STANDING
The Polytechnic, Ibadan was established by law. According to the Polytechnic, Ibadan Law Cap. P2 Laws of Oyo State 2000, the name of the institution was enshrined and recognized legally. Any alteration must pass through:
1. The House of Assembly, with a public hearing.
2. Wide consultation with key stakeholders, including the governing council and alumni.
3. Possible judicial review, if public interest is being compromised.
If any of these steps were bypassed, then the renaming process is illegal and subject to reversal by the courts.
Alumni can file for:
Declaratory reliefs that the name change violates established law.
Injunctions against the implementation of the new name.
A judicial review of the process of renaming, challenging its constitutionality and fairness.
We must mobilize NOW—in courts, in media, and in the court of public opinion.
WHAT IS AT STAKE
The erasure of a 55-year legacy.
The confusion and invalidation of global alumni identity.
The precedent that our institutions can be renamed arbitrarily, without stakeholder input.
We must not let this slide. We cannot be the generation that failed to defend what others laboured for. If we allow this name change to stand, we have allowed our silence to bury our history.
THE CALL TO ACTION
Let alumni chapters across the world rise. Pass emergency resolutions.
Let us pool funds, hire legal counsel, and file immediate injunctions and suits.
Let us write to the Oyo State House of Assembly, to the Governor, to the courts.
Let us speak in one voice: Restore our name. Restore our dignity. Restore The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
This is a sacred duty. This is a moral fight. This is a legal fight. This is our fight.
Let us be inspired by the UNILAG example.
Let us not be cowed by silence or divided by apathy. Let us rise for ourselves, for our children, for the name on our certificates, and for the pride of Ibadanland.
We are graduates of The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
We will not be renamed.
We will not be erased.
We will fight—lawfully, boldly, and until victory is ours.
—
Kunle Aderemi
A Proud Alumnus of The Polytechnic, Ibadan
