Olunloyo: Nigeria has lost one of its best minds, says Ogundipe, ex-NUJ president

By Oluseye Ojo

Former President of the Nigeria and African Union of Journalists, Prince Lanre Ogundipe, said on Sunday that Nigeria has lost one of its finest minds with the passing of Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, ex-governor of old Oyo State.

In a press release titled ‘Molete Bridge is Down,’ Ogundipe described Olunloyo as a revered elder statesman, a patriot, an astute leader, and a renowned mathematician. Olunloyo lived in Molete, Ibadan, during his lifetime.

Ogundipe noted that the late Olunloyo held titles like Balogun of Oyo and Otun Bobasewa of Ife. He was also the first Rector of The Polytechnic Ibadan and Kwara State Polytechnic, among other key roles. “His long record of service to the nation and humanity is a source of pride to his associates even as we come to grip with his passage,” he said.

“Though his demise is painful, he is not someone to be mourned, the enigma called VOSO (Victor Omololu Sowemimo Olunloyo) should be celebrated for a life well spent. He transited at a ripe age of nearly 90 just few days to short of 90, VOSO in his word transited from the terrestrial to the celestial order,” Ogundipe added.

He recalled a past conversation with Olunloyo: “He once told me in an encounter before his eventual passage: ‘Lanre, Molete Bridge would be finally down, when the piano keys no longer run’. I took note of his coded literal words as a man of letters. He said: ‘It is going to be on a day when all of you will have the time to reminisce and the bird must have flown past.’”

“Alas! It came to pass that Dr. Omololu Olunloyo flew without notice and across the earthly firmament he crossed over, to the greater reality of eternity!” Ogundipe concluded.