Major traffic disruptions hit parts of Ibadan on Tuesday as students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, staged a protest against the recent renaming of the institution by the Oyo State Government.
The protest follows an announcement made last week by Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, renaming the institution after former Governor of Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, in recognition of his contributions to the state’s development.
Angered by the decision, hundreds of students took to the streets, blocking the main entrance to the institution and the Oyo State Secretariat gate. One side of the busy road connecting both locations was also barricaded, leading to severe traffic congestion in the area.
Chanting solidarity songs and wielding placards with inscriptions such as “Revert the Name Now,” “We Are Not Consulted,” and “Our Identity, Our Pride,” the students demanded the immediate reversal of the renaming, citing lack of consultation and disregard for the institution’s long-standing identity.
“We are not against honoring leaders, but not at the expense of our institution’s legacy,” a student protester said.
Security personnel were deployed to the scene to manage the situation and prevent any outbreak of violence. As of the time of filing this report, the school management and government officials had not made any formal response to the protest.
