Students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, have stormed major streets in the state and protest over renaming of the institution to Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic.
It was gathered that Academic and other activities were put on hold at the institution, while hundreds of commuters plying major roads in Ibadan were also stranded as a result of the agitation.
Recall that the state’s Governor, Seyi Makinde, last week, renamed the institution in honour of late former governor of Oyo State, Omololu Olunloyo, who died at the age of 89.
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Olunloyo was the first Ibadan person to serve as the governor of old Oyo State.
The students were spotted blocking both the entrance gates of the institution and some other streets to show their grievances over the Makinde’s decision.
They were also heard chanting solidarity songs and holding placards with different inscriptions such as “Revert The Name Now,” “We Are Not Consulted,” and “Our Identity, Our Pride.”
The students called for an immediate reversal of the renaming, citing a lack of consultation and a disregard for the institution’s longstanding identity.
READ MORE: Makinde Names Polytechnic Ibadan After Ex-Gov, Olunloyo
Speaking with newsmen on Tuesday, during the protest, leader of the Students Union Government, Olamide Oladipupo, expressed concern that major stakeholders were not involved in the decision-making process.
He said: “We are not against honouring leaders, but not at the expense of our institution’s legacy.
“Sincerely, as bonafide students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, we are not here to fight or revolt. This is not a protest; this is a way of channeling our grievances.
“What we want is for the name of our school to remain The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
“This is a heritage of over 50 years with alumni all over the world. We can’t allow that heritage to be swept away. We want the name to remain The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
“We are here to plead with the governor; we are not here to fight. There is no placard that speaks against the governor. We want the governor to attend to us.
“There are other monuments that can be named after the late governor. We have ample land for the government to build on and name after him. We are open to discussions; we do not want the name to change.”
