How former governor Olunloyo ‘died’ many times

By Nehru Odeh

Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, former governor of Oyo State who died on Sunday a few days to his 90th birthday had ‘died’ many times.

Olunloyo had been rumoured dead twice. In April 2024, the rumour of the death of the elder statesman was reported by some media platforms.

But Olunloyo debunked the rumour, saying he was hale and hearty . “I’m still here, not yet gone,” he declared then.

He 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.”

He had been rumoured dead on June 7, 2022 with the rumour mongers claiming 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.

Olunloyo was a Nigerian mathematician and politician who served briefly as the governor of Oyo State from 1 October 1983 to 31 December 1983, when the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari took power. He later became a strong political force in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State.

Born in Ibadan on 14 April 1935, his father, Horatio Olunloyo was Christian and his mother Alhaja Bintu Tejumola Abebi Olunloyo who died October 2013 at 102-year-old was Muslim.His father died in December 1948 when Victor Olunloyo was 13 years old.

Olunloyo gained a 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.

Olunloyo was appointed Commissioner for Economic Development for the Western Region in 1962 at the age of 27. He was re-appointed when Colonel Adeyinka Adebayo was appointed military governor of Western. He also held other political appointments in successive governments

He ran for governor of the old Oyo State on the platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1983 and defeated the incumbent, Bola Ige of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

He assumed office in October 1983. His term ended three months later when General Muhammadu Buhari took power and dismissed the elected government on December 31, 1983.