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The renaming of the University of Maiduguri after the late former President Muhammadu Buhari continued to divide opinions among Nigerians, and in Borno, the host state of the renamed university.
Also, some analysts questioned the legality of the institution’s renaming by President Bola Tinubu without consultation with the National Assembly.
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This is not the first time Nigerians have challenged the renaming of public facilities after political figures.
Last month, students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, also took to the streets after Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde renamed the school after its first rector, who later became the governor of Old Oyo State in 1983, the late Omololu Olunloyo.
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Earler, in 2012, a public outrage forced former President Goodluck Jonathan to reverse his decision to rename the University of Lagos (UNILAG) after the winner of the annulled 12 June 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola. Ironically, President Tinubu was among the critics of Mr Jonathan’s decision.
Muhammadu Buhari University, Maiduguri
President Tinubu announced the renaming on Thursday during an expanded Federal Executive Council Meeting, which was held to honour the late president and offer national condolences to his family.
The Minister of Education, Maruf Alausa, said the honour was in appreciation of Mr Buhari’s commitment to education development.
Shortly after the pronouncement, criticism started locally among some residents of Borno, who complained that Mr Buhari already had too many public facilities named after him in the state, including an airport.
Some analysts questioned the late president’s commitment to the education sector, citing many long university lecturers’ strikes during his administration.
Other critics questioned the legality of the change, noting that the university was established by an act of the National Assembly and that it is not the prerogative of the president to change the name.
“From the legal aspect, there is an act that established the University of Maiduguri, the University of Maiduguri Act. Now the president has, without consultation and without considering the opinions of certain people, renamed the university after Muhammadu Buhari,” Maxwell Opara, a lawyer and public analyst, said on Arise TV’s News Day programme.
“We are a nation that is based on the rule of law. There should be a process of naming institutions after an individual so that the process is transparent,” Austin Maho, a lecturer with the International Institute of Journalism, said on Arise TV’s newspaper review section.
Petition
Nigerians have been signing a petition urging President Tinubu to reconsider his decision. The petition is titled: “Preserve the identity of the University of Maiduguri – A respectful appeal against renaming University of Maiduguri to Muhammadu Buhari University.”
The petitioners advised him to instead rename the Federal University, Dutsin Ma in Katsina State or the Army University, Biu in Borno State after the late president.
They stated that their petition was not to diminish the contributions of the late president, but because “renaming the University of Maiduguri does not align with the sentiments of its core stakeholders and the enduring identity the institution has built over the decades.”
They said the University of Maiduguri is more than a name. “It is a powerful symbol of resilience, academic excellence, and cultural heritage, especially in the face of insecurity that once threatened the North-East region. The name ‘University of Maiduguri’ resonates deeply with the people it serves and reflects the institution’s strategic importance in national development, peacebuilding, and intellectual advancement in Northern Nigeria.
“For over 40 years, this great institution has produced leaders, scholars, diplomats, scientists, and patriots who proudly identify as UNIMAID alumni. Its name is a source of pride not just in Nigeria but across Africa and the global academic community.
“We respectfully request Your Excellency to reconsider and reverse the renaming of the University of Maiduguri. While we hold the memory of President Muhammadu Buhari in high regard, we believe his name can be immortalised through alternative national monuments, research institutes, or legacy projects that will not alter the historic identity of a university so beloved by its community,” the petition read.
The petitioners expressed hope that Mr. Tinubu, being a democrat, would listen to their prayers.
However, many people in Borno State also support the new name. They described it as appropriate for the late president for his role in restoring relative peace to Borno State during his administration and for being the son of a Borno woman.
