On Sunday, April 6, 2025, Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, the first Ibadan indigene to be the Governor of Oyo State, passed away nine days to his 90th birthday anniversary.
Olunloyo’s death was confirmed in a statement issued by a former Editor of the Nigerian Tribune, Oladapo Ogunwusi on behalf of the family.
According to the statement: “With a heavy heart but gratitude to the Almighty, we announce the passing into glory of Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, former governor of Oyo State, mathematician and engineer, and renowned technocrat, a few days before his 90th birthday.
“The Balogun of Oyo and Otun Bobasewa of Ife, Dr. Olunloyo, was the first Rector, Ibadan Polytechnic and first Rector, Kwara State Polytechnic, among other notable appointments.
“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.
“The Olunloyo family will appreciate the understanding of the press and the public as they commence efforts to give him a befitting burial.”
In April 2024, about a year ago, the rumour of the death of the elder statesman was reported by some news platforms.
But speaking at his Molete residence in Ibadan, Olunloyo debunked the rumour, saying he was hale and hearty.
“I’m still here, not yet gone,” he declared then.
He also expressed worry over the rumour and asked who would live forever, stressing, “Those breaking death news and the person presumed dead will all die one day.
“I’ve been lucky. My father died at 42, while my mother died at 102. I’m 89. I’ve crossed the expected life age.”
The elder statesman also illustrated how the rumour of his death hit several news platforms on June 7, 2022.
He noted that the rumour mongers claimed that he died at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
A few days later, the family issued a statement, declaring that he was not dead but suffering from old age ailment and asked Nigerians to pray for him to survive the health complications.
His Birth
Victor Omololu Sowemimo Olunloyo was born in Ibadan, on April 14, 1935, by the late Horatio Olunloyo (who died in December 1948) and Alhaja Bintu Tejumola Abebi Olunloyo (who died in October 2013).
The late Omololu Olunloyo had his Ph.D from St. Andrews University in 1961. His thesis was on the Numerical Determination of the Solutions of Eigenvalue Problems of the Sturm–Liouville Type.
He published several other papers on Number Theory and Applied Mathematics.
The Politician
He was a mathematician and politician who served as the governor of Oyo State from October 1, 1983 to 31 December 1983, when the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari took power.
He later became a power and an arrowhead in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State.
His Appointments
At the young age of 27, he was appointed Commissioner for Economic Development for the Western Region in 1962, in the cabinet of Dr. Moses Majekodunmi.
Olunloyo was re-appointed when the then Colonel Adeyinka Adebayo (deceased) was appointed military governor of Western State.
He held various other positions, including Commissioner for Community Development, Education (twice), Special Duties, .
As the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the late Olunloyo supervised the coronations of two prominent Yoruba traditional rulers namely, the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III and the late Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewunmi Ajagungbade.
He was appointed chairman of the Western Nigerian Development Corporation (WNDC).
As Governor
In 1983, Olunloyo ran for the governorship election in the old Oyo State on the platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and defeated the incumbent, the late Chief Bola Ige of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), assuming office in October 1983.
His tenure was however shortlived as it ended three months later when the then General Muhammadu Buhari took over power and dismissed the elected government in the Second Republic on December 31, 1983.
His Latter Years
Olunloyo wanted to be the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2003 governorship election in Oyo State. However, Senator Rasheed Ladoja (now the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland) emerged as the PDP candidate.
In 2009, he was chairman of a panel to investigate the collapse of a part of the Pharmacy Section of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH). The panel blamed the contractor and the state government for the building collapse.
He was elected chairman of the PDP Planning and Strategy Committee for Ibadanland to prepare for the 2011 elections and was also made chairman of the PDP Media and Publicity Committee for the state.
Until his death in the early hours of Sunday, April 6, 2025, the late Dr Omololu Olunloyo lived a quite life in retirement, away from the public glare at his Molete, Ibadan residence.
( Additional Source: Wikipedia)
