Nigeria's Ogun state education college was renamed after an Ijebu monarch in 2021, not 2025
IN SHORT: In 2021, the Ogun state government renamed its college of education after Ijebu monarch Sikiru Adetona to honour him while he was alive. It was not renamed after his death in 2025.
The governor of Ogun state, Dapo Abiodun, has renamed Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE) to Sikiru Adetona College of Science and Technology. This is according to some Facebook users.
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In another variation, several posts claim it was the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) that has been renamed.
The posts claim it's an attempt to honour the deceased monarch, the awujale of Ijebuland, Sikiru Kayode Adetona, who died on 13 July 2025.
One post published on 21 July features a video of Abiodun, supposedly announcing the name change at the fidau prayer for the monarch.
The caption reads: "Governor Dapo Abiodun Announces The Change Of Name In Honor Of The Late Awujale Of Ijebu Ode From Tai Solarin College Of Education To The Oba Sikiru Adetona College Of Science And Technology At The 8 Days Fidau Prayer Of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, GCON."
The fidau prayer is a communal Islamic prayer and remembrance held in honour of a deceased person, commonly practised in West Africa, especially among Yoruba Muslims in Nigeria. It is often done on the eighth day after their passing.
Adetona reigned as the awujale of Ijebuland for 65 years.
The Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu, attended the fidau prayer.
Similar claims were found here, here, here and here.
But did the state governor rename an institution to honour the monarch's death? We checked.
Two different institutions causing confusion
Some Nigerians confuse two institutions. One Facebook account stated it was the Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE) that had been renamed, while another claimed it was the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED).
Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE) was formerly known as Ogun State College of Education. It was established in 1978 and situated in Ijagun village, a suburb of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state. The name was changed in 1995 to honour Tai Solarin, a revered educationist.
TASCE was formally upgraded into Nigeria's first university of education, named Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), in 2005, offering both degrees and the Nigerian Certificate in Education.
Later, following the request of the National Commission for Colleges of Education, TASCE, the college, was separated from the university and relocated from Ijagun to Omu-Ijebu, while TASUED, the university, continued to occupy the original site in Ijagun.
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At the time, both the college and university were recognised as TASCE and TASUED, both carrying Tai Solarin's name.
In 2025, TASUED was adopted as a federal government university, while TASCE remains the Ogun state government's responsibility. Both institutions continue to operate.
Misleading claim
On YouTube, Africa Check found a longer video of the event.
In his speech, the governor, highlighting the monarch's impact, said: "One of my first actions upon office was immediate award for reconstruction of [a road in Ijebu Ode] ... we also renamed the Tai Solarin College of Education in Ogun in his honour and I'm glad we did all this in his lifetime, now known as Oba Sikiru Adetona College of Science and Technology."
The governor said TASCE was renamed Sikiru Adetona College of Science and Technology, Omu-Ajose, to honour the monarch.
We conducted a keyword search and found that TASCE was renamed in 2021 while the monarch was alive, not in 2025, after his death.
On 24 July, the Ogun state government also denied the claim that the university, TASUED, had been renamed.
The government clarified that the college, Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology, already pays tribute to the late Awujale, so there was no need for another such honour.
