By Adeyinka Adeniran
Oyo State government and leaders of the Students Union Government of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, have agreed that calm amd normalcy should return to the institution pending the return of Governor Seyi Makinde to the state.
The Nation reports that, the governor is currently outside the state on official engagement.
The resolve was reached by the parties after a closed door meeting which held on Tuesday.
The Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal led other government functionaries to meeting the student union leader at the Conference Room of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
The leaders where invited following the protest embarked upon by the students as a result of the renaming of the institution by Governor Makinde.
The protest also paralysed academic activities on campus. Both the South and North campus gates were locked, preventing access to the institution and causing significant inconvenience for commuters and motorists who were forced to trek long distances.
Sango-Junction and other nearly streets were also barricaded by the students earlier in the day as they March on the state Secretariat, to express their grievances, demanding that the institution’s former name be reinstated.
At the Governor’s Office, security personnel barricaded the main entrance and deployed officers at strategic locations to prevent vehicular movement.
Chanting solidarity songs and holding placards with 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.
Top government functionaries that accompanied the Deputy Governor include: the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya, Commissioner for Education, Segun Olayiwola, Chairman, Oyo State Youth Development Agency, Prince Falana Adebowale, the Senior Special Assistant on student Affairs, Victor Olojede.
The SUG President, Comrade Oladipupo Olamide represents the students at the discussion.
Earlier before the meeting, the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, while addressing the protesting students on behalf of the governor called for calm, assuring them that their grievances would be taken seriously.
He said, “On behalf of the governor of Oyo State, I beg and admonish you that your demands will be placed before the governor, who is currently unavailable. Whenever he is back, your demands will be presented to him.”
But, while addressing the Press on behalf of the government team after the meeting, the SSA Students Affairs, Comrade Victor Olojede confirmed the receipt of the letter from the Students, appealing that the old name be retained.
While assuring that the letter would be transmitted to the governor for consideration, he noted that the government prioritizes the best interests of students and the educational sector in state, emphasizing Governor Makinde’s commitment to excellence in education.
Comrade Olojede said, “The students of the Polytechnic Ibadan have come to the Oyo State Secretariat today on a peaceful protest and well this is not a protest, but a plead to the governor to please let the status quo remain as the Polytechnic Ibadan.
“On behalf of the governor and the state government, I have received their letter and we promised them that we’re going to transmit the letter to the governor for onwards processing and to look into the matter.
“We want to assure them that whatever the government is doing is in the best interest of the students and the best interest of the government.
“And the government of Engineer Seyi Makinde is key in making sure that the educational sector of Oyo State is the best and we have the best output, bringing out the best quality students from our institution.”
Also speaking, the SUG President, Comrade Oladipupo Olamide expresses 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.”
