By Abdullah Bello, Iyabo Adebisi, Abimbola Bamgbose
President Bola Tinubu has condoled the government and people of Oyo State following the death of former Governor of the old Oyo State, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo.
In a statement, President Tinubu, on behalf of the Federal Government, sympathised with the Olunloyo family, his friends and well-wishers.
President Tinubu pays tribute to Dr Olunloyo’s remarkable academic and professional journey and his fervent belief in education as a transformative tool for national development.
“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,” President Tinubu stated.
Reflecting on Dr. Olunloyo’s tenure as Governor of the old Oyo State, President Tinubu said though his time in office was brief, his tenure was marked by exceptional vision and leadership.
The President equally applauded the late Governor for his unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s unity, progress, and intellectual advancement, emphasising that his contributions will remain enduring milestones in the nation’s history
Also, Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has described the death of Dr. Olunloyo, as the exit of one Oyo State’s and Nigeria’s most cerebral former administrators.
In a statement mourning the death of the former governor of Oyo State, the governor commiserated with the entire Olunloyo family, the people of Ibadanland and Oyo State.
He noted that it was sad that the late Mathematical guru and administrator passed away before his 90th birthday.
“On behalf of the Government and the good 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.“
“This death hits differently because I was looking forward to Baba’s 90th birthday, which would have come up on April 14th. “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.
Similarly, chairman of the Southern Governors Forum and Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has described the death of the former governor of Oyo State, mathematician and engineer, and renowned technocrat, as a great loss to Nigeria and intellectuals around the world.
Governor Abiodun, who expressed the Southern Governors Forum’s condolences with the Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, and the government and people of Oyo State in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Sunday, described Dr. Olunloyo as a titan who left legacies that every Nigerian should be proud of.
He described the late politician who served as the governor of Oyo State from October 1, 1983, to December 31, 1983, as a highly accomplished scholar and a genius even among geniuses.
He added that Dr. 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.
“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. Remarkably, out of those ten 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.
The late Dr. Olunloyo would have celebrated his 90th birthday on 14th April, 2025
