On Saturday, 25 October 2025, the community of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Ōwó in Ondo State celebrated a long-awaited milestone: the institution’s first convocation in 13 years. For more than a decade, the polytechnic had been in decline—salary payments were erratic, pensions and gratuities went unpaid, and infrastructure was crumbling. ［…］
The turning point came with the administration of Lucky Aiyedatiwa, whose government injected strategic financial backing into the institution. Under the stewardship of the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Omowunmi Isaac, the state released ₦2 billion in bailout funds in two tranches. Within months, six months of back-salaries were settled, and the pension and gratuity backlog erased. (The workers, who had seen up to 14 months’ salary arrears, welcomed this change.)
Beyond payroll, the polytechnic’s decayed physical campus began to see meaningful upgrades. New buildings and renovated facilities replaced the signs of neglect, and the convocation ceremony finally resumed — a symbol of renewed dignity and restored hope. Despite her humility in accepting recognition, Commissioner Isaac’s contribution has been described as the “X-factor” propelling the institution’s resurgence.
Reflecting on the honor bestowed upon her, she dedicated it to her late father, Alhaji Adefemi Adegoke Yusuf (a.k.a. Odide Kajola), citing his principles of service, humility and excellence as guiding forces in her public life. For many in Ondo State, her performance signals that the state indeed has a “jewel of inestimable value” in its finance commissioner.
As normalcy is restored to the institution, the hope now is that faculty, staff and students alike will reciprocate the investment of goodwill and see in this revival not just a convocation ceremony, but a renewed era of academic productivity and institutional pride.
