Ibadan students block major road to protest renaming of The Polytechnic by Governor Makinde.
Commuters stranded as campus gates shut, demanding reversal of name change to Olunloyo.
Hundreds of commuters and staff were left stranded on Tuesday morning as students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, launched a protest against the renaming of the institution by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State. The demonstration brought vehicular movement to a halt along the busy Sango-Eleyele Road in the state capital, creating widespread disruption.
The students took to the streets in protest of Governor Makinde’s recent decision to rename the institution Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, the first Ibadan indigene to serve as governor of the former Oyo State, who held office briefly from October to December 1983.
The decision, announced just days ago, was met with swift resistance from the student body. By early Tuesday, the protesting students had blocked the main gates of the institution and barricaded the adjacent road, causing severe traffic congestion and forcing many commuters and workers to seek alternative routes or return home.
Eyewitnesses reported that the protest began peacefully but intensified as the morning progressed, with placard-carrying students chanting slogans and demanding the reversal of the proposed renaming.
“We are proud of The Polytechnic Ibadan as it is. The name is our identity and history. We don’t want it changed,” a protesting student told journalists at the scene.
Staff members of the institution were also affected, with many unable to access their offices due to the blockade. Several expressed frustration over the situation but acknowledged the students’ right to protest.
No violence or arrests were reported as of the time of filing this report, but security operatives were observed monitoring the situation to prevent escalation.
The Oyo State Government has yet to issue an official response to the protest. However, political analysts suggest that the renaming may spark further debate over historical legacy and institutional identity in the state’s educational system.
