Posts misleadingly claim Nigerian governor renamed school after monarch died

“Governor Dapo Abiodun announces the change of name in honor of the Late Awujale Of Ijebu Ode from Tai Solarin College Of Education oo The Oba Sikiru Adetona College Of Science And Technology (sic),” reads the caption of an X post published on July 21, 2025.

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Screenshot showing the misleading post, taken on July 25, 2025

Attached to the post is a one-minute video showing Ogun state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, listing projects completed in honour of Adetona, including the renaming of a state-owned school from Tai Solarin College of Education to Oba Sikiru Adetona College of Science and Technology.

Shared more than 500 times, the claim was published by an account called “AsakyGRN”. A review of the account shows it shares posts on Nigerian politics and entertainment with more than 89,000 followers.

The claim was also shared here on Instagram by a popular Nigerian blog called “instablog9ja”.

Adetona, the late Awujale of Ijebuland and one of Nigeria’s longest-reigning monarchs, died on July 13, 2025, at the age of 91 (archived here).

While Adetona was revered for his principled 64-year leadership of the culturally rich Ijebu people, Tai Solarin, known for his bold ideas, love for education and fearless voice for the common man, was celebrated as one of Nigeria’s most influential educators, and has several institutions named after him. 

However, the post does not show Ogun state governor Abiodun renaming an educational institution after Adetona following his death.

Old change

Using Google Lens to conduct reverse image searches on keyframes from the clip, AFP Fact Check was led to the original video published on YouTube on July 23, 2025 (archived here).

The video, which runs for 55 minutes, shows the 8th-day Fidau prayer — a Muslim memorial held to pray for the soul of the deceased — organised for the late monarch and attended by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, state governors, and other top political figures.

At 12’13”, Abiodun takes the podium and speaks about Adetona’s legacy and impact on Ogun state. 

“In appreciation of our love, respect and support for Kabiesi, one of my first actions upon assuming office was the immediate award for the reconstruction of the Ijubu-ode/ Ojoda/Egbe road…”, the governor says a few minutes later at 15’45” — the exact point where the video in the misleading posts starts.

At 16’08’’, he adds: “We also renamed the Tai Solarin College of Education in Ogun in his honour, and I am glad we did all these in his lifetime. It [the college] is now known as the Oba Sikiru Adetona College of Science and Technology.”

Using the institution’s name as a keyword in an internet search, AFP Fact Check was led to a news article published in 2022 when the school was formally renamed — a development Abiodun had initially discussed in 2021 during a political campaign (archived here and here).

In a statement by Abiodun’s media aide, Kayode Akinmade, the governor clarified that the institution renamed after the late monarch was one of two campuses that emerged from the former Tai Solarin College of Education (archived here). 

He said the degree-awarding arm became Tai Solarin University of Education, while the second campus — focused on teacher training — was renamed Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology in 2022.