Former governor of Oyo State, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, is dead.
A statement by his family on Sunday, said Olunloyo died a few days before his 90th birthday.
The statement titled ‘Victor Olunloyo goes home’ was signed Oladapo Ogunwusi on behalf of the family.
According to the statement, it was with a heavy heart but in gratitude to the Almighty that the family announced the demise of the elder statesman.
Olunloyo was a renowned mathematician, engineer and technocrat who was a prominent figure in the politics of the Second Republic.
Here are 10 Notable things about the late former civilian governor of Oyo State
- Second Civilian Governor of Oyo State: He served as governor from October to December 1983, during the Second Republic, before the military coup led by General Muhammadu Buhari.
- Brilliant Mathematician: He earned a Ph.D. in 1961 from St. Andrews University, with a thesis focused on eigenvalue problems of the Sturm–Liouville type. He also published papers on number theory and applied mathematics.
- Young Commissioner: At age 27, he was appointed Commissioner for Economic Development in the Western Region in 1962 under Dr. Moses Majekodunmi.
- Multiple Commissioner Roles: He held several commissioner positions in the Western Region and Western State, including Education (twice), Special Duties, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
- Oversaw Royal Coronations: As Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, he supervised the coronation of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III (Alaafin of Oyo) and Oba Jimoh Oyewunmi (Soun of Ogbomoso).
- First Rector of Two Polytechnics: He was the first rector of both The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and Kwara State Polytechnic.
- NPN Governor Who Defeated Bola Ige: He contested and won the 1983 governorship election under the National Party of Nigeria, defeating incumbent Bola Ige of the UPN.
- PDP Chieftain in Later Years: After his brief governorship, he remained politically active, becoming an influential figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State.
- Chairman of Notable Panels: In 2009, he chaired a panel that investigated a building collapse at LAUTECH, and he later led PDP committees for media, publicity, and election strategy in Oyo State.
- Lived a Quiet Life in Retirement: In his final years, he lived away from public life at his Molete residence in Ibadan until his passing on April 6, 2025, just days before his 90th birthday.
