Tinubu Receives The Jonathan Treatment Over Renaming  UNIMAID After Buhari

By Gideon Njoku

In a classic example of “what goes round comes round”, deafening outcry has greeted an honour bestowed on late President Muhammadu Buhari by President Bola Tinubu.

President Tinubu had, during a special Federal Executive Council Meeting in honour of the late President Buhari, renamed the University of Maiduguri after him (Buhari).

But just as was the case during the President Goodluck Jonathan Government, strong resistance has followed it, and not a few are prepared “to go to war” over the gesture.

Recall thar President Jonathan had, during his time in office, renamed the University of Lagos after Chief Moshood Abiola, the winner of the still officially undeclared 1993 Presidential election.

Jonathan’s gesture to honour Abiola, a man who had contributed so much to Education countrywide, was resisted in a most bitter manner by then opposition politicians one of whom was the now President Tinubu, alumni of the University and other stakeholders.

Tinubu made front page news with his strong condemnation of Jonathan’s gesture to Abiola. Some people even went to court in a move which not a few people dismissed as political, and a dig to embarrass Jonathan. But they had their way. That honour was aborted, and the University of Lagos remains the University of Lagos.

Now enters 2025. And Tinubu, as President, decided to rename the popular and highly regarded University of Maiduguri after the late Buhari, and he is being given the same bitter pill to swallow.

In their thousands, stakeholders have risen against Tinubu’s move to honour Buhari with renaming the resilient University of Maiduguri after him. “You cannot do that Mr President”, they chorus. Political leaders, Students, Stakeholders, University Alumni, all. They are speaking with one voice, and are united in their opposition against the honour. Halt the process, they demand.

In a strongly-worded petition, the opposing stakeholders said they appreciated  Buhari’s legacy, but warned that renaming  UNIMAID after him would do no good for the institution’s established identity built over more than 40 years.

The University of Maiduguri, the petition, championed by Opeyemi Olatinwo said, is “a symbol of resilience, academic excellence, and regional pride.”

It noted its  enduring role during the height of Boko Haram’s insurgency, when it remained open and active despite threats by the terrorists.

Said the letter: “UNIMAID is more than a name; it is a brand and a beacon of hope in the Northeast. It would be a significant loss to its emotional and historical value” to rename it.

Already, thousands of people have endorsed the petition with their signatures, including current students and distinguished alumni. They argued that the proposed renaming does not reflect the views of the university’s core stakeholders and broader Nigerian public.

While noting their deep respect for Buhari, they suggested other institutions that could be named after him. For instance, they said, the Federal University of Transportation in Daura, Buhari’s hometown, or the Nigerian Army University in Biu.

They pointed out: “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.”