Makinde inaugurates governing councils for Oyo tertiary institutions, addresses Ibadan Poly renaming controversy

Summary

• Governor Seyi Makinde inaugurates new governing councils for five state-owned tertiary institutions in Oyo State
• Signs bill into law renaming Oke Ogun Polytechnic, Saki, as Michael Adeniyi Koleoso Polytechnic
• Reiterates commitment to funding, upgrading infrastructure, and improving educational standards
• Addresses controversy surrounding the proposed renaming of The Polytechnic Ibadan

Ibadan, Nigeria – Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has inaugurated new governing councils for five state-owned tertiary institutions, including The Polytechnic, Ibadan, amid ongoing controversy surrounding the proposed renaming of the institution.

The ceremony, held on Friday, 11 July 2025, included the formal signing of a bill renaming the Oke Ogun Polytechnic, Saki, to Michael Adeniyi Koleoso Polytechnic, Saki, a move to honour the late statesman and former Secretary to the State Government.

The five institutions with newly constituted governing councils are: The Polytechnic, Ibadan – chaired by Professor Lanre Nassar; Michael Adeniyi Koleoso Polytechnic, Saki – chaired by Dr Bisi Ojebola; Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igbo-Ora – chaired by Dr Amusan Damilare Gideon; Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate – chaired by Comrade Olusegun Oyewumi; and Oyo State College of Health Science and Technology, Eleyele – chaired by Rt. Hon. Babatunde Olaniyan.

The councils are tasked with ensuring the effective administration, academic excellence, and infrastructural development of the institutions. Governor Makinde reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting tertiary education through the provision of financial, human, and material resources.

While the renaming of Oke Ogun Polytechnic was formalised during the event, having earlier received the approval of the State Executive Council on 28 May 2024, a separate proposal to rename The Polytechnic, Ibadan, after the late Victor Omololu Olunloyo remains in limbo.

Amid strong opposition to the proposed renaming, Makinde defended the rationale behind the decision while reaffirming the administration’s openness to superior arguments on the matter.

The governor stated that Dr. Olunloyo played a foundational role in the development of the institution, berating the alumni for spending approximately ₦1 million on a full-page newspaper advert to oppose the renaming, despite having no notable project to their name in support of the institution. He stressed that the government would not be swayed by sentiment alone but is open to logical and well-founded reasoning.

To reinforce his stance, he drew parallels with a previous proposal to rename Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, after it received approval to expand its academic offerings beyond technical disciplines. He recalled how he initially suggested renaming the institution to Ladoke Akintola University but stepped back after the university’s leadership and alumni presented compelling arguments and examples of other institutions that retained their original names despite similar transitions.

“We allowed superior arguments to prevail,” he said, adding, “After all, what we should be mostly concerned about is the quality of products from that school.”

The governor challenged critics to approach the matter constructively, warning that disruptive protests would not achieve the desired results. “If there are differences, please go through the proper channel. This is an administration that listens to you. If you have a superior argument, then we will listen to you and we will even apologise to you,” he assured.

He added that should the institution be upgraded in the future, similar to what was done at Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, it would be impractical to expect the name ‘The Polytechnic, Ibadan’ to remain unchanged.

Governor Makinde also used the occasion to reaffirm his administration’s commitment to tackling funding challenges faced by tertiary institutions in the state. He recounted the fiscal burden his administration inherited, including the full implementation of 100 per cent subvention and wage increases, all of which significantly expanded the state’s expenditure from day one.

“I know that almost all the institutions are struggling with their subventions,” he said. “We are going to be engaging with you shortly to see what we can do. The resources of the state are limited… but we will do everything to ensure that our graduates from those special institutions can compete with the best from around the world.”

The governor concluded by acknowledging the hardship institutions have faced and pledged that in the coming days or weeks, concrete steps would be taken to resolve outstanding funding issues.