As of today, over 1,500 new signatories have signed an online protest against the renaming of University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) by President Bola Tinubu to Muhammadu Buhari University.
The protesters frowned at the President’s action, saying UNIMAID as a name was not only iconic, but for long represents a symbol of hope and reference point for the people of the North-East.
Rather than rename UNIMAID after Buhari, they said, and given the government’s imperative to honour the late Nigerian president,after whom the university was renamed, they pointed to the Federal University of Transportation in Daura, Buhari’s hometown, or the Nigerian Army University, Biu, as institutions that could be so renamed as they align with the late president’s military and national leadership background.
The alumni, current students, and concerned citizens therefore, called on President Tinubu to reverse the renaming.
Writing on his X yesterday, presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, had stated: “President Tinubu renames University of Maiduguri as Muhammadu Buhari University. President Tinubu announced the honour at the session of tributes of the Federal Executive Council to his late predecessor.”
However, in an open letter published on social and traditional media, UNIMAID stakeholders acknowledged the legacy of the late former President Buhari, but warned that changing the university’s name would undercut a well established identity built half a century ago.
Lauding the university as “a symbol of resilience, academic excellence, and regional pride,” the petitioners, led by Opeyemi Olatinwo, pointed to UNIMAID’s enduring role during the Boko Haram insurgency as it remained open and active despite security threats.
They stated: “UNIMAID is more than a name; it is a brand and a beacon of hope in the Northeast,” stressing that there would be significant loss to its “emotional and historical value” by the renaming.
Signed by thousands of signatories such as current students and distinguished alumni, the stakeholders contended that the renaming was not reflective of the views of the university’s core stakeholders and broader Nigerian public.
Asserting that their opposition to the renaming did not amount to lack of respect for the late president, they reiterated that theirs’ was a principled protest.
“This is not a political protest. It is a heartfelt plea for continuity and for the preservation of a name that has survived conflict and nurtured generations of leaders,” the petition stated.
They called for prior consultation before such renaming is made.
