Former Governor of Oyo State, Omololu Olunloyo has passed away at the age of 89. A statement from his family confirmed his death at 1:40 AM on April 6, 2025, expressing gratitude to God for his life and praying for the repose of his soul.
In April 2024, Olunloyo had dismissed rumours of his death, reassuring the public that he was alive and in good health, despite being in the ICU at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
Born on April 14, 1935, in Ibadan, Victor Omololu Sowemimo Olunloyo was a Nigerian mathematician and politician. He served as governor of Oyo State for three months in 1983, before the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari took power. Olunloyo also played a significant role in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State.
Olunloyo’s academic background includes a Ph.D. in Mathematics from St. Andrews University in 1961. He was a published author in number theory and applied mathematics. He began his political career in 1962 at the age of 27 as the Commissioner for Economic Development in the Western Region, serving in various capacities throughout his career, including Commissioner for Community Development, Education, and Special Duties.
In 1983, Olunloyo was elected governor of Oyo State on the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) platform, defeating incumbent Bola Ige. His term was short-lived, as he was ousted following the military coup later that year.
In the years following his governorship, Olunloyo remained active in politics, running for governor again in 2003 and holding several leadership roles within the PDP, including heading the party’s Planning and Strategy Committee for Ibadanland. In 2012, he left the PDP to join the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which later became part of the APC.
Omololu Olunloyo’s impact on both politics and academia has created a lasting legacy.
