FUTA, UNILAG, UniAbuja, and Other Varsities’ Controversial Renaming

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) agreed on Monday to rename the University of Abuja in honor of General Yakubu Gowon’s 90th birthday, a decision that caused controversy.

The decision to rename the university Yakubu Gowon University has sparked intense discussion.

Muhammad Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, explained after the news that although the FEC had made the decision, the National Assembly still needed to approve it.

Critics contend that renaming institutions distorts their historical and cultural value, which is why such government choices are frequently met with opposition.

The renaming of a university has caused controversy before.

When President Goodluck Jonathan suggested renaming the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to Moshood Abiola University in 2012, students protested in large numbers and staged a rally that closed the Third Mainland Bridge.

Opponents like Obi Nwakanma characterized the action as ill-advised and indicative of a broader trend of revisionist politics by the then-ruling party.

According to Nwakanma, it is a myopic action. And in light of this action by President Goodluck Jonathan, I believe it is time to test the boundaries of executive authority in the legal system. The Nigerian PDP government has been working on the revisionist project since 1999. Beginning with May 29 as Democracy Day, it renames, rebrands, and reworks Nigeria’s national calendars to fit the narrow, individualized ideas of the PDP and its goals, regardless of Nigerian reality.

“The president’s request follows protests and outcry over UNILAG’s renaming in honor of the late business magnate and politician MKO Abiola.”

Similarly, there were issues when the Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo (FUNAI) in Ebonyi State was renamed Alex Ekwueme University in honor of the late Second Republic Vice President Alex Ekwueme.

During Ekwueme’s burial, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo confirmed the renaming; nevertheless, certain local stakeholders, such as FUNAI Public Relations Officer Ikechukwu Ubochi, expressed dissatisfaction over not receiving official notice of the move.

Others, including human rights activist Hycinth Achoja, contended that the renaming would have been more appropriate for a more well-known organization in Enugu or Anambra, Ekwueme’s home state.

The Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in Akure has been the subject of a renaming controversy. In honor of the late President Shehu Shagari’s contributions to Nigeria, legal expert Chief Afe Babalola suggested renaming the university after him.

The Daily Trust claims that FUTA’s Student Union Government (SUG) and Alumni Association fiercely opposed the proposal, claiming that the well-known university will have an identity crisis as a result of the name change.

The University of Abuja’s renaming is the subject of the most recent dispute. Students and alumni are concerned about the decision, even though it has not yet been approved by the legislature.

The university would gain more from infrastructural improvements than a name change, according to critics, including former Senator Shehu Sani.

“FEC should make time to visit the University of Abuja and see how its facilities can be upgraded and provide them with enough gadgets to secure their vast undeveloped land mass,” Sani stated after renaming the institution.

Students expressed their disapproval as well, especially those from Abuja, who feared the change would compromise the university’s heritage and character.

It’s still unclear whether the University of Abuja’s proposed renaming to Yakubu Gowon University would be accepted or encounter resistance like in the cases of UNILAG and FUTA, notwithstanding the controversy surrounding these rulings.

Source: NaijaNews