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  • Controversy over Makinde’s renaming Ibadan Poly after Olunloyo

    Controversy over Makinde’s renaming Ibadan Poly after Olunloyo

    Students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan and some alumni bodies have rejected the renaming of the institution by Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde after former Governor Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo.

    They described decision of the Governor to as unjustified and degrading.

    Makinde at a commendation service in honour of late Olunloyo announced the renaming of The Polytechnic after first Rector of the institution. 

    But a statement by the President of the Student Union Government (SUG) of the institution, Comr. Oladipupo Olamide expressed disappointment over the decision .

    The statement reads: “We strongly believe that this decision is unjustifiable and disregards the rich heritage and history of our beloved school.

    “For over 50 years, The Polytechnic Ibadan has been a beacon of academic excellence, producing outstanding graduates who have made significant contributions to society. The name “The Polytechnic Ibadan” is synonymous with quality education and has earned respect and recognition nationwide. 

    “Renaming the institution would erase its identity and legacy, causing irreparable harm to its reputation and alumni.

    Read Also: Makinde renames Ibadan poly after ex-governor Olunloyo

    “We urge you to reconsider this decision and allow our school to retain its original name, which reflects its history, values, and mission. We are willing to engage in dialogue to find alternative solutions that benefit the institution.

    “We request an immediate reversal of this decision and look forward to a prompt response.”

    Members of the institution’s alumni community also rejected the governor’s action, calling for an immediate review.

    Yomi Akande, an alumnus and leader of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) at the institution, expressed dissatisfaction among alumni regarding the announcement.

    He said: “As an alumnus of The Polytechnic Ibadan, the name of the institution holds significant recognition worldwide.

    “While the name of the late Dr. Omololu Olunloyo is honorable, what many people oppose is the change of the institution’s name. This change will not bring any new development to the school.”

    Another alumnus, Olaoluwa Olabode, voiced concerns that the renaming could negatively impact both past and current students.

    He said the decision will not create any real improvement for the institution, saying it may be politically motivated.

  • Makinde renames Polytechnic Ibadan after late ex-governor Olunloyo

    Makinde renames Polytechnic Ibadan after late ex-governor Olunloyo

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has announced the renaming of The Polytechnic Ibadan after the late former governor of the state, Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo. 

    Recall that the late governor was the pioneer reactor of the institution.

    Governor Makinde made the announcement in his brief remarks at the interdenominational commendation service for the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo stadium, Ibadan. 

    Read Also: Makinde mourns victims of Ibadan accident, says death toll rises to 15

    According to Governor Makinde, the institution will now be known as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan 

    Details shortly…

  • Obasanjo, Soyinka, Babalakin, others eulogise Olunloyo as burial final rites begin

    Obasanjo, Soyinka, Babalakin, others eulogise Olunloyo as burial final rites begin

    Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, the Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and a legal luminary, Wale Babalakin, were among dignitaries who eulogised former Governor of Oyo State, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo.

    Olunloyo died on April 6 at the age of 90.

    Speaking in Ibadan at a symposium, which kick-started the final burial rites of Olunloyo, Obasanjo, who is the chairman of the event, described Olunloyo as a scholar, a brilliant man and a man of books while alive.

    According to him, Olunloyo is more than a scholar, a brilliant man, and author of many books, but a genius.

    He stated that Olunloyo’s exceptional intelligence is beyond ordinary.

    He said, “With Omololu, anything he touched, he did with ease, almost too easily. He studied engineering and ended up excelling as a mathematician. It all came naturally to him like play.

    “You cannot talk about Omololu without mentioning a part of his life that some referred to as political rascality or seeming unseriousness. I used to enjoy that part of him. Because every time we met, and we met many times, he always appeared unserious at first. But what would eventually come out of him was deep, profound, and very serious. Every time we were together, I learned something new about him.

    “Of course, our paths crossed more deeply in 1965 when I came here, and we served in the same government of the old Western Region under my senior, General Adebayo. Our cabinet was evenly split—twelve members: six from Awolowo’s side, six from Akintola’s.

    Read Also: Obasanjo to governors: create incentives to curb medical brain drain

    “The head of government was neutral, and I believe I was neutral too. But there was one man in that group whose allegiance you couldn’t pin down, was he with Awolowo or with Akintola? That man was Omololu Olunloyo. I think, in truth, he was on both sides.

    “Whether he was discussing policy, joking, or just in casual conversation, Omololu was different. He was a very, very serious man wrapped in layers of brilliance, wit, and intellect that only a few could truly understand.

    In his remark, Prof. Wole Soyinka described Olunloyo as a mathematical genius while alive, whose legacy will never be forgotten.

    He said the impact of Olunloyo in academics and politics cannot be overemphasised.

    Also, the Global President, Government College, Ibadan (GCI) Old Boys Association, Dr. Wale Babalakin, where Olunloyo was an alumnus, said Olunloyo was a genius among geniuses, saying the school is proud of him as one of its alumni.

    “There are no other schools in Nigeria that have produced geniuses like the school has produced, which makes it the best secondary school in Nigeria.”

    Dignitaries at the event include: the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) President General, Barr. Niyi Ajewole, Sen. Kola Balogun, and former Chief of Staff to Governor Seyi Makinde, Chief Bisi Ilaka, among others.

  • Omololu Olunloyo: Uncommon brilliance

    Omololu Olunloyo: Uncommon brilliance

    • By Kolade Mosuro

    On at least two different occasions, the rumour was rife on social media that he was dead. To be falsely deceased, I teased that he, like Alfred Nobel, had had the chance to read his own obituary. In a particular instance, a family rebuttal revealed that he was in intensive care at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. I made for the Intensive Care Unit, UCH, the next day, a Saturday morning. I was not going to disturb their care or protocol. I just had to be there in case he needed me. Expectedly, and rightfully so, the nurses barred visitors from seeing him. I wrote my name on a sheet of paper and gave it to a nurse to hand over to him, just for him to know I was outside in case he needed anything. The nurse came rushing back and said that he wanted to see me immediately.

    As I got to his bedside, he held my hand tightly and, to the amazement of the medical staff around, quoted the melancholy words of Jacques in Shakespeare’s As You Like It:  “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts…”

    Right there, I stopped him in his tracks that he should quote no further. Instead, to his smile, we both said in unison that the exit was not now. He lived another three years after, but poorly. Finally, with every man inevitably to his exit, death, not wholly unexpected, came calling on April 6, after he had played many parts following an innings of 89.

    The preparation for these many parts began from Government College, Ibadan (GCI) in 1948, although he was scion to an illustrious family, the first educated elite and early Christians in Ibadan. When David and Anna Hinderer, the first CMS missionaries, came to Ibadan in 1853,  they were placed in the care of Balogun Olunloyo, a warlord and high chief of Ibadan. Balogun Olunloyo’s children, Akinyele, male, and Yejide, female, found play and school with the Hinderers. Akinyele became the first male literate of Ibadan, while Yejide became the first female literate. Yejide Girls Grammar School, Ibadan, is named after her. The Olunloyos prominently took up early church, civil, and administrative roles in Ibadan. The Akinyele line produced Horatio Vincent Olunloyo, who was Victor Omololu’s father.

    The brilliant signs of Horatio’s first son, Victor Omololu Olunloyo, were there even precociously from primary school. He took the common entrance examination, which was a global examination for all leaving primary school students, and he was first in 1946 and 1947 in the whole of the Ibadan District Church Council schools from Ibadan to Gbongan, Ikirun, and Osogbo. It was while at St. Peter’s Aremo Primary School that he was introduced to mathematics by an impressionable teacher, J.A.F Sokoya, in a remarkable and inspiring way. He saw early and clearly the relations of integers and that there was a concrete connection between mathematics and real life. Here, foundational mathematics was planted to flourish in him for the rest of his life.

    In 1948, he entered Government College, Ibadan (GCI) from Standard Five, as the youngest in his class, when most of his classmates came in from Standard Six. It took him some time to rally. Once he found his stride in the second year, he never let go of the first position in Mathematics. To be first meant not just to score high but to get everything. An illustration will suffice.

    A mathematics examination was going to be served by the teacher, W.H. Browne. The teacher aimed to write the questions on the board, exit to have tea in the staff room, and come back to collect the students’ scripts. As he wrote the first question, he asked the students to commence. There were five questions, and they were to answer all of them. As he finished writing the fifth question and just as he was gathering his papers to go for tea, Olunloyo raised his hand. ‘What is it Olunloyo?’ the teacher queried. ‘I have finished, sir,’ Olunloyo replied. The teacher first thought it was a prank, remonstrated Olunloyo and then collected his papers for marking to see that, indeed, he had finished and got everything!

    Of his brilliance, everybody took notice; some took a special interest. Adegoke Adelabu and Emmanuel Alayande saw in him a very special Ibadan poster boy, a pride. M.S. Sowole, Ambassador and Agent-General for Western Nigeria in the UK, his father’s contemporary and bosom friend, and Lady Kofo Ademola and others saw in him a national academic prodigy. They leaned to an overseas university training. For overseas universities, Olunloyo’s heart was really in Manchester University. Manchester then was one of the leading universities in the UK offering Technology. But Kofo Ademola was pushing differently. She wanted Olunloyo to go to Cambridge to be a part of that reputational institution that had graduated some of the best minds in Mathematics—Isaac Newton, Alan Turing, Carl Gauss, etc. and to go to Cambridge just as did her husband, Sir Adetokunbo Ademola. But Cambridge offered a one-year deferred admission because the session was already on. Olunloyo was not in any mood to wait idly for one year. Kofo Ademola was challenged to find another great university which offered immediate admission, which was what led him to St. Andrews College.

    Read Also: Olunloyo ‘ll get befitting state burial, Makinde assures

    At graduation in 1957, six academic medals were available in his department; Olunloyo won five, and the sixth was won by Ifedayo Oladapo, both Nigerians, both old boys of Government College, Ibadan, and both classmates at GCI. Olunloyo recorded, of course, a first class in Mechanical Engineering. So did Ifedayo Oladapo, who went on to do his PhD at Cambridge.

    Olunloyo was exempted from a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mathematics and instead went straight on to do a PhD, a four to seven-year programme. He did it in a record time of two years with outstanding merit, finishing in 1959. He was 24. He was one of Nigeria’s most brilliant men. His brilliance was proudly extolled both overseas and in Nigeria.

    When Lekan Are, his friend and classmate was going to be 80, I teased him that Lekan’s GCI school number was 514 ahead of his at 546, making Lekan a quasi-senior boy. His mind went in a different direction. He said to me, ‘Lekan’s number at 514 is very interesting. That is, two to power nine (512) plus two to power one (2), making 514, which in binary language is 1,000,000,010 for the computer’. Anyone who thinks like that must be crazy. Olunloyo was crazy about mathematics.

    For his work life, he took up an academic position as a lecturer at the University of Ibadan, then the University of Ife; he was later Rector, Polytechnic Ibadan and briefly Polytechnic, Kwara; he held variegated positions with government and academic institutions—55 in total spanning 45 years of service.

    He served as Commissioner for Economic Planning and Community Development, and Commissioner for Education in Western State. At some point, he held two portfolios at the same time as Commissioner of Education and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. In a number of these institutions, never mind his title, he served as a trouble-shooter, an ombudsman, a cracker to solve any and every problem, and an interventionist minister.

    It was against this background that he set his sight on politics and was sucked into serving fleetingly as the governor of Oyo State.

    For all his brilliance, he lacked financial intelligence. This dogged him in his twilight because of the huge expense over many years for his medical care. His family’s medical care was also, for many more years, quite exorbitant. People like him ought to have been kept in the financial court of the government or academic institution. They were not to be disturbed by mundane matters such as finances. Their focus had to be entirely scholarship—morning, day and night. He was on scholarship throughout his academic career. He could have been a national scholar for life.

    I am sure Olunloyo would not mind me mentioning his debt to his family and to the late Abiola Ajimobi, late Lekan Are,  late Alafin Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Enoch Adeboye, Rasheed Ladoja, Seyi Makinde, Bode George, Wale Babalakin, William Kumuyi, Olusegun Obasanjo, Gabriel Ogunmola, Kola Daisi, Lekan Ademosu, and Ibrahim Babaginda. Friends do not often reveal what friends do. He repeatedly sang their praises because they extended to him.

    I will miss his endless stream of conversation from Beethoven to Newton, Einstein to Awolowo and Akintola and, of course, Euler, Ramanujan, Hawkins and Archimedes—his fellow mathematicians. He was a polyglot, a polymath, an iconic, itinerant teacher, a maverick, and a restless politician. Such was the ease with which he could move from Pythagoras through Aristotle and Dante to Nietzsche and Shakespeare with relative ease. He was truly well-cultured.

    When death finally came, even though previous rumours and hospitalizations had prepared me, I shed a tear.

    • Dr Mosuro is a publisher, bookseller, and trustee of Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association.
  • Olunloyo will get state burial, says Makinde

    Olunloyo will get state burial, says Makinde

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde says a former governor of the state, Dr Omololu Olunloyo, who died on April 6, will be honoured with a befitting state burial.

    Makinde said this yesterday when he paid a condolence visit to the deceased’s family in Molete, Ibadan.

    He said his administration and the deceased’s family had begun arrangements for the state funeral that would reflect the legacy and stature of the late elder statesman.

    Read Also: Olunloyo: Exit of Ibadan’s son of the soil

    Makinde described Olunloyo as a towering figure in Oyo State’s political and intellectual history.

    He noted that the contributions of the deceased to governance, Mathematics and public service spanned decades and inspired many.

    The governor said Olunloyo was not just a former governor, “but a brilliant mind, a respected leader, and a symbol of integrity and excellence.”

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Makinde was received by Mrs Aderonke Olunloyo, the widow.

  •  Olunloyo: Rich man, Poor Man

     Olunloyo: Rich man, Poor Man

    Omololu Olunloyo’s passing throws up the consequences of politics for family, a subject many don’t address.

    Recently, his daughter Kemi announced she has renounced the family.

    But it is not a joking matter. She told the story of how about 25 touts defiled her at 13 and wounded her brother when they were on a journey.

    Her father’s political enemies were after a pound of flesh. Many should not underestimate the extent of that trauma, and there is no way it might not have damaged something in her for the rest of her life and brother’s.

    Recently, Femi Fani-Kayode gave a graphic account of how as a boy the army stormed their home at night and bullied his father with their arms and uniforms and voices.

    Read Also: Tompolo predicts Fubara’s return as Rivers gov, calls for peace in Niger Delta

    It was during the 1966 coup. The children watched, and no one can underestimate how such an experience in such an age can turn a person upside down.

    Olunloyo might also have been ravaged by that experience of his children. Yet, he kept an ebullient persona throughout his life.

    I recall in the 1980’s at the Concord Press when he paid a visit.

    Mike Awoyinfa, Dele Momodu, Ohi Alegbe and Femi Ojudu  and myself engaged him for over an hour. We were all on our feet at the car park, and we discussed everything from the anomaly of army rule, to the dearth of intellectualism in Nigeria and the meltdown of the Soviet Union.

     It was a feast on our feet.

    He invited me to view his Ibadan library.

     I never obliged.

    The following Saturday, Awoyinfa captured the ferment in his column and titled it, Rich man, Poor Man.

  • Alaafin mourns Olunloyo, hails ex-governor’s enduring legacy

    Alaafin mourns Olunloyo, hails ex-governor’s enduring legacy

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, has expressed deep condolences to the Olunloyo family, Governor Seyi Makinde, and the entire Oyo State over the passing of former governor, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo.

    In a statement issued by his Chief of Staff, Rotimi Osuntola, the Alaafin said he received the news of Olunloyo’s death with sadness, but also with gratitude to Elédùmarè (Almighty God).

    He noted that Olunloyo’s impactful life should serve as a source of comfort to his family and the wider Oyo community. 

    “The fact that Dr. Olunloyo came, saw, and conquered should be a huge consolation to the Olunloyos at home and in the diaspora,” the monarch stated, adding that the late governor left behind “an eternal legacy of nobility” attached to the Olunloyo name.

    Oba Owoade described the late statesman as a distinguished academic who excelled in a field many shy away from — Mathematics — and praised his remarkable contributions to governance and scholarship.

    The statement reads, “As it is customary in Yorubaland and among Yorubas at home and diaspora, no one wants any aged parent to depart into eternity after sojourning on the planet earth, no matter how fruitful, how much accomplishments and how old such a parent might have been at the time of his or her home call. But then, the inevitability of death is non-negotiable.

    Read Also: Alaafin Owoade urges unity among royal families, says he relies on God’s will

    “Therefore, it is with sadness but also with gratitude to The Almighty God, Elédùmarè, The Giver and Taker of life, that I, His Imperial Majesty, Aláyélúwà Oba Abímbólá Akeem Òwóadé I, The Aláàfin of Òyó, received the shocking news of the transition to glorious immortality of His Excellency, Dr. Victor Omololu Sowemimo Olunloyo, (Omo Alhaja), a former elected Executive Governor of Òyó State and Academic who specialized and thrived in an academic terrain where majority of us fear to tread: Mathematics.

    “We thank Elédùmarè that His Excellency, Dr. Olunloyo came, saw and conquered. This should be a huge consolation to The Olunloyos at home and in diaspora simply because he has bequeathed an eternal legacy of nobility to the name Olunloyo.

    “Painful as his exit may be, His Excellency, Dr. Olunloyo lived life to its fullest fruitfulness and was a pride to all The Yorubas.

    “I, His Imperial Majesty, Aláyélúwà Oba Abímbólá Akeem Òwóadé I, The Aláàfin of Òyó, also commiserates with His Excellency, Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, the Executive Governor of Òyó State, The state executive council, the legislature, the judiciary and all citizens and residents of this pacesetter state, Oyo state, on the eternal departure of His Excellency, Dr. Olunloyo.

    “For us in Òyó Kingdom, the reverence and love that Dr. Olunloyo had for the stool of The Aláàfin and Òyó Kingdom shall remain indelible in our hearts.

    “An occasion such as this calls for an individual personal introspection on how we are living our lives in the various positions of impact that Elédùmarè has planted us because this is a reminder that ultimately one day our maker shall call us back home to render an account of our stewardship on earth. Adieu! Your Excellency, Dr. Victor Omololu Sowemimo Olunloyo. Keep resting in the bosom of The Almighty God.”

  • Olunloyo shaped future leaders, strengthened institutions — Ex-Oyo commissioner Akanbi

    Olunloyo shaped future leaders, strengthened institutions — Ex-Oyo commissioner Akanbi

    A former Commissioner for Finance in Oyo State, Waheed Akanbi, has paid tribute to the late former governor of old Oyo State, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, describing him as a visionary who influenced future leaders and fortified educational institutions across Nigeria.

    Akanbi made the remarks in a statement issued on Monday, while reacting to the passing of the former governor, who died in the early hours of Sunday. 

    Olunloyo, notably the first Ibadan indigene to serve as governor, held office briefly between October and December 1983.

    He commended Olunloyo’s outstanding academic and professional accomplishments, noting that his intellectual contributions left a lasting impact on governance and education in the country.

    Reflecting on his short-lived tenure, Akanbi said Olunloyo’s leadership was defined by foresight and depth, describing him as “a reservoir of knowledge in both modern and indigenous science.”

    “Dr Olunloyo will be celebrated in academic circles for his brilliance and foundational contributions to applied mathematics and number theory. As an educator, he profoundly influenced future leaders and fortified educational institutions. 

    Read Also: Ex-Governor Olunloyo dies nine days to 90th birthday

    “Olunloyo’s tenure as Governor of the old Oyo State, though his time in office was brief, his tenure was marked by exceptional vision and leadership.

    “The demise of this illustrious son of Ibadan is sudden to me despite his old age, I’m not a person given to emotions but the death of Dr. Omololu Olunloyo took the sails out of me because we were planning to celebrate his 90th birthday, Alas, it dawn on me we have lost a gem – an intellectual passè of the highest order.

    “A very brilliant man, simple yet beneath that mien is a powerful and articulate mind that cut across all strata of life. A reservoir of knowledge both modern and native science. Someone who sees tomorrow today. One of my political mentor is gone.

    “I am not crying neither would I mourn but would celebrate him with a bottle of very cold Star or Heineken beer for a life well spent. He was a jovial man. Sieve through his library, I’m damn sure he predicted his last moments on Mother Earth.

    “I recall his advice to me during the the Ladoja impeachment period. He call me about 3 am and asked where I was. Emphatically, he said I should stay away from the Secretariat Agodi that morning and if I have to go to office I should ensure I have a female buba, iro and gele. That pave my way for escape from battle field Secretariat that morning.

    Sleep well Baba. May your soul rest in peace”. 

  • Ex-Governor Olunloyo dies nine days to 90th birthday

    Ex-Governor Olunloyo dies nine days to 90th birthday

    • Tinubu, governors, Obasanjo, others pay tributes to ex-Oyo governor
    • •Governors’ Forum commiserate with Makinde

    A chapter closed in the history of Oyo State yesterday with the demise of its second elected governor, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo.

    The foremost mathematician, engineer and technocrat died in Ibadan, his hometown and state capital, after a brief illness eight days to his 90th birthday.

    Family sources said plans to mark his 90th birthday were in full swing before he took ill and passed away.

    Olunloyo served as governor for three months between October and December of 1983 in the Second Republic on the platform of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He succeeded Chief Governor Bola Ige of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) who served between 1979 and September 30, 1983.

    Olunloyo’s tenure was terminated by the military coup of December 31, 1983, led by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who became the head of state.

    A statement  by Oladapo Ogunwusi, on behalf of the family announced Olunloyo’s death .

    “His long record of service to the nation and humanity is a source of pride to his family and associates even as we come to grip with this devastating event,” he said.

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led other leaders in paying tribute to the eminent politician, who he described as a distinguished intellectual and public servant.

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, his Lagos State counterpart, BabajideSanwo-Olu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, members of the National Assembly, university administrators, traditional rulers and other eminent persons paid tribute to the former governor, highlighting his contributions to educational, cultural and political development.

    Until his death, the deceased was the Balogun of Oyo and Otun Bobasewa of Ife.

    During the Emergency Rule in the old Western Region, he was appointed a Commissioners by Administrator Koye Majekodunmi at the age of 27.

    A university don, Olunloyo made histrory when he became the Head of Mathematic Department, University of Ife, in the 60s when he was 28 years.

    Olunloyo also served as the first Rector of The Polytechnic, Ibadan and Kwara State Polytechnic; Commissioner of Education and later, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the defunct Western State.

    In this dispensation, the former governor was a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State.

    Tinubu: He was a distinguished public servant

    President Tinubu expressed deep sorrow over Olunloyo’s passage, describing him as “one of Nigeria’s most distinguished intellectuals and public servants.”

    The President said in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, that the elder statesman was “a brilliant mind, patriotic leader, and dedicated nation-builder.”

    He noted that Olunloyo was renowned for his academic brilliance as he earned a PhD in Applied Mathematics St. Andrews University in Scotland at the age of 25.

    President Tinubu paid glowing tribute to  Olunloyo’s academic and professional legacy, particularly his pioneering role as the founding rector of both The Polytechnic Ibadan and the Kwara State Polytechnic.

    He said: “Dr. Olunloyo will be celebrated in academic circles for his brilliance and foundational contributions to applied mathematics and number theory. As an educator, he profoundly influenced future leaders and fortified educational institutions.

    “Although his time in office was brief, his tenure was marked by exceptional vision and leadership. The abrupt end to his administration due to military intervention did not deter him from continuing to serve the nation.”

    Highlighting Dr. Olunloyo’s contributions to nation-building and intellectual development, President Tinubu described him as a strong advocate for education as a tool for national transformation.

    He added: “His legacy in academia and public service will be studied and remembered for years to come.”

    The President prayed for the peaceful repose of the departed leader and comfort for those mourning him, affirming that Nigeria has lost “a towering intellect and a true patriot.”

    Oyo has lost a patriot, says Makinde

     Makinde, who commiserate with the family and tge people of Ibadan and Oyo State,  described Olunloyo’s death as the exit of a cerebral administrator and patriot.

    He said in a statement that it was sad the late mathematical guru passed on before his 90th birthday.

    Makinde said: “On behalf of the government and the people of Oyo State, I express my heartfelt condolences to the family of Dr Omololu Olunloyo, the people of Ibadanland and Oyo State on the demise of the former governor.

    “In Dr Olunloyo, we have lost another icon. This time, we lost a highly cerebral and patriotic leader, who served our great state at its early stages.

    “This death hits differently because I was looking forward to Baba’s 90th birthday, which would have come up on April 14. However, we have to submit to the will of God, who gives and takes lives as He wills.

    “My joy is that our government immortalised and honoured Pa Olunloyo in his life time and he was present to witness it, as we named the Ibadan Airport Road and the Leisure Park on the axis after him in recognition of his service to the state.”

    Sanwo-Olu mourns

    Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu mourned Olunloyo’s passage, describing him as a great scholar.

    He said in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Gboyega Akosile, that he was respected political figure who contributed to the development of Oyo State.

    Read Also:

    He said: “On behalf of my family, the government and Lagos residents, I commiserate with Governor Makinde and the people of Oyo State.

    “I also extend heartfelt sympathy to the immediate Olunloyo family, Ibadan indigenes, and friends of the deceased.”

    Sanwo-Olu prayed that God grants Olunloyo eternal rest and comforts his family, the people of Oyo State, and the entire South-West.

    He was a genius, say South governors

    The Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum and Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, described the death of Olunloyo as a great loss to Nigeria and intellectuals around the world.

    Abiodun, who expressed the Forum’s condolences to Makinde, the government and people of Oyo State, described the deceased  as a titan who left behind legacies worthy of pride.

    He described the former governor as a highly accomplished scholar and a genius even among geniuses, adding that his life was a study in excellence.

    Abiodun said Olunloyo’s unique achievements as a prodigious scholar with reputable papers, and as an octogenarian with a sharp memory and wit, not to mention a lifelong dedication to books and the quest for knowledge in various fields, were well known.

    He said: “Alas, like many giants before him, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo has gone to rest. Although a scientist, Baba loved reciting poetry, particularly those by William Shakespeare, and, remarkably, did not read with glasses even in his old age.

    “He was always on hand to offer wise counsel to the present generation of leaders, regardless of party affiliation.

    “The story of his exemplary accomplishments as a student is well told. For instance, he was one of the 10 students who were given scholarships out of the 2,002 students who applied to Government College, Ibadan, in 1947.

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    “Remarkably, out of those 10 brilliant students, he was the only one who came from Standard 5; all the others had already completed Standard 6.

    “Dr. Olunloyo did his Higher School Certificate in three months, came first in all of the old Ibadan Province, and got admission to study Mechanical Engineering at the oldest Scottish university, the University of St Andrews.

    “Because of his exceptional brilliance, he succeeded in persuading the university to let him begin his studies in 200 level and graduated with First Class honours at age 26, going on to become a state commissioner at just 27.”

    Oyo Speaker pays tribute

    The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin expressed sorrow over the demise of the octogenarian politician, describing him as a man of extraordinary intellect and dedication, whose contributions to the development of Oyo State and Nigeria  were unparalleled.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that Oyo State just lost a walking encyclopedia and a pillar of wisdom in Nigerian politics. Chief Omololu Olunloyo was not just a leader, he was a beacon of knowledge and a source of inspiration to many.

    “I read a lot about Chief Olunloyo, and I marvelled at his level of knowledge. His legacy as a mathematician, engineer, and technocrat will forever be etched in the annals of history.”

     Ogundoyin emphasized the late statesman’s unwavering commitment to public service and his profound impact on the lives of countless individuals.

    He added: “Chief Olunloyo’s passing is a monumental loss to Oyo State and Nigeria. His wisdom, humility, and dedication to the betterment of society will be sorely missed.?”

    The Speaker extended his condolences to the Olunloyo family, urging them to find solace in the remarkable legacy left behind by their patriarch.

    He also called on the people of the state to honor Chief Olunloyo’s memory by upholding the values of unity, integrity, knowledge and excellence that he exemplified throughout his life.

    Olunloyo: He was a man of peace

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo described the renowned mathematician as a patriotic Nigerian who stood for justice, peace and progress of the country.

    He said in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, that the deceased had deep blood of patriotism  running in his veins.

    The former leader lamented that many leaders are departing when their wise counsel and rich experience are greatly needed.

    Obasanjo said: “It was shocking and worrisome because we had lost Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Edwin Clark, and now Dr. Olunloyo, just in weeks’ succession.

    “Indeed, the ranks of the nation’s leadership is fast depleting by the loss of our dedicated and resourceful patriots who served the nation in various capacities, particularly at this crucial state in our nation’s history when their wise counsel and rich experience are greatly needed.”

    The former president commiserated with Makinde, the government and people of the state, urging them to be consoled by the facts that Olunloyo lived a life worthy of communal emulation and touched the soul of his community.

    He added: “We pray the Good Lord to grant the soul of Dr. Olunloyo a peaceful rest and the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

    He was incorruptible, says Ladoja

    Former Oyo State Governor and Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja described Olunloyo’s death as the exit of a titan.

    He said the late Olunloyo was a man of many parts who left his footprints on the sands of time.

    Ladoja said Olunloyo shone like a star right from his Government College, Ibadan days, through his university days in Scotland, which culminated in his becoming one of the youngest PhD holders in his days.

    He added; “He became Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy in Koye Majekodunmi era in the defunct Western region, and later Commissioner under Military Governor Adeyinka Adebayo.

    “You will recall that as old Oyo State former Governor, Olunloyo who would have been 90 next week tried his best, even though he had a short tenure. He gave a good account of himself as one of the most officed persons with a long public service record in Nigeria.

    “He was a rector of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, a rector, Kwara State Polytechnic, executive chairman of different scientific research institutes in Nigeria.

    “The greatest legacy of Olunloyo’s long service record was his incorruptibility.”

    Oba Ladoja recalled that the former Governor visited him in his Bodija, Ibadan residence only two weeks ago.

    He recalled: “He was on the wheelchair. I was surprised to see him. We discussed for an hour before he left. Whenever my elder brother came around, you can be sure, there would be no dull moment. But then, I did not have a premonition that the old Oyo State former Governor’s visit was his own way of bidding us farewell”

    Ladoja, who said Olunloyo would be missed, expressed his condolences to the Olunloyo family, Makinde, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, and members of the Olubadan-In-Council over Olunloyo’s death.

    ‘He was a rare gift’

    Former Postmaster-General of the Federation, Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adewusi, described Olunloyo as a rare gift that Nigeria really never appreciated.

    He said in a statement that Olunloyo was an abundant gift to humanity whose full opportunities Nigeria never tapped.

    The former Postmaster-General said the former governor was a genius who, in other climes, could have been allowed a massive space to bring to bear on the country his rare mental capacity.

    Adewusi said: “The late Olunloyo was a global phenomenon in Applied Mathematics and Number Theory. At a time that such areas of studies remained in the realm of esoteric academic pursuit, Olunloyo had emerged as a master of the Numbers.

    “But his depth of knowledge transcended the numbers game. He was deeply knowledgeable in history, literature, and to a very appreciable reach, law and philosophy.”

    Alluding to Olunloyo’s aversion for mediocrity, Adewusi recalled that he was a man who championed the course of merit in all spheres of life.

    He added: “Perhaps, this explains his unapologetic support for us when we sought the mandate of our dear state to be the governor. The late Olunloyo did not believe where you come from or the faith you profess should be the determinants in the choice of who leads  in governance. He was a man for the best, and he simply wanted the best in everything.”

     Adewusi also commiserated with the family,  the  people of Ibadan and Oyo State, noting that Olunloyo’s  place in history is assured.

    Adewusi also urged the state government to look for a more  befitting way to immortalise the late academic and political icon.

    Baale Ekotedo: why I can’t forget Olunloyo

    The Baale of Ekotedo, Ibadan, Dr Taiye Ayorinde, recounted the times and memories he shared with the deceased, describing him as a great teacher and administrator.

    In a statement, Ayorinde described Olunloyo as his twin brother with whom shared many things in comnon, adding that their closeness dated back to many years of cordially.

    He said he never had the premonition that he will die when he was informed that he was being taken to the hospital.

    Ayoribde lamented that effort to return the call to confirm the hospital and visit him was to no avail, adding that the news of the death was so painful to him.

    He said: “I remember that he called me and said he was being taken to the hospital. We were like twin brothers, and we used to call and share opinions virtually almost weekly.”

    “Since then, I couldn’t trace the hospital or get through to his number again. He was dear to me, and I was dear to him. I never knew that he was saying goodbye to me.

    “I tried calling him back, but up till the news of his demise broke, I tried him, at least five times a day, to know which hospital he was being taken to.

    “Our two parents were very close too. Her sister Molara, was a gem to me too. Before his demise, we both shared our experiences of the good, the bad, and the ugly, most especially on our families, Ibadan politics, and Nigeria.

    “That is the question. There are two young men he told me that were to publish his life history. I spoke with one of them, and he is very well known to me. We were both family friends. The book, if published, will be a box office hit seller.

    “As close as we were, he told me some of his regrets and some of his joys. The height he reached in mathematics versus Prof Chike Obi, the feat of how he became the governor of Oyo State. He reminded me of what High Chief Adisa Meredith Akinloye and late Iyalode of Ibadan did when we got to Oyo Town Hall.

    “It was all a magical feat. Omo wa ni e je ki o se. The incident of his brilliant son at the university, his married life with Funmilayo, his view and joy about her daughter, the world-acclaimed Kemi Olunloyo, a pharmacist turned media guru,

    “His Excellency Chief Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo was to celebrate his 90th birthday in grand style this April with the launching of the book, which would have been the talk of the town. I mean, talk of the world.

    “To Victor Omololu Olunloyo, aka Voso, a former maths teacher at Ibadan Grammar School under the principal emeritus Baba Archdeacon Emmanuel Alayande.

    “The feat he played with bicycle during the ‘Agbara ya shop, omi yale’.

    “Whenever his phone rang, he would say “Omo John,” and my response was always “Omo Voso.” Victor Omololu Olunloyo was born special, as an enigmatic, God-talented Ibadan son of the soil.

     He came, he did his best, and he has conquered it all. I say sleep on till we all meet again,”

    Alli: he was  intellectual giant

    Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APC-Oyo South)  expressed  sorrow over the demise of the former governor, describing it as the end of a golden era of wisdom, scholarship and statesmanship in Nigeria.

    The senator said in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Akeem Abas, thatcOlunloyo was a towering intellectual and one of the brightest minds to ever serve in public office in Nigeria.

    He noted that the late elder statesman was  a respected mathematician, engineer, and renowned technocrat whose legacy would continue to inspire generations.

    Ali said: “The death of Dr. Olunloyo is a monumental loss to Oyo State and Nigeria at large. He was a symbol of brilliance, simplicity, and unwavering commitment to public service.

    “His contributions to governance, academia, and the development of our dear state remain unmatched.”

    He addes: “We have lost a gem, a leader with rare intellect and an elder whose counsel was always profound. May Almighty God rest his soul in peace and grant us all the strength to bear this great loss.”

  • Senator Alli mourns Olunloyo, says Nigeria lost rare intellectual giant

    Senator Alli mourns Olunloyo, says Nigeria lost rare intellectual giant

    Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APC-Oyo South) has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of former Governor of Oyo State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo, describing his death as the end of a golden era of wisdom, scholarship, and statesmanship in Nigeria.

    This is contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Akeem Abas and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Ibadan.

    Senator Alli said Olunloyo was a towering intellectual and one of the brightest minds to ever serve in public office in Nigeria.

    He noted that the late elder statesman was not only a former governor but also a respected mathematician, engineer, and renowned technocrat whose legacy would continue to inspire generations.

    “The death of Dr. Olunloyo is a monumental loss to Oyo State and Nigeria at large. He was a symbol of brilliance, simplicity, and unwavering commitment to public service.

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    “His contributions to governance, academia, and the development of our dear state remain unmatched,” he said.

    Senator Alli extended heartfelt condolences to the Olunloyo family, the good people of Ibadanland and the entire Oyo State.

    He prayed that God would comfort the family and grant the departed soul eternal rest.

    “We have lost a gem, a leader with rare intellect and an elder whose counsel was always profound.

    “May Almighty God rest his soul in peace and grant us all the strength to bear this great loss,” the statement added.