Students of the University of Abuja have opposed the federal government’s decision to rename their institution after former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon.
During the protest, the students appealed to the Tinubu administration to reverse the renaming of the university.
They carried placards with inscriptions like: “Solve hunger problems not renaming UniAbuja” and “We stand for UniAbuja” and “We are the center of unity.”
Representing the Students Union Government, Comrade Nkem Silas, urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the by his administration to rename the university, emphasizing that it would have negative psychological effects on students.
He announced that the students union will formally communicate the rejection of the name change through a letter to the Federal Ministry of Education.
Prof. Jeremiah Vambe, a faculty member and alumnus, also criticized the decision, highlighting its potential economic, legal, and psychological ramifications.
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He pointed out that renaming the university will necessitate amending the law that established it.
“Now, if you ask me, what are the legal implications? The legal implication is that they will have to amend the law establishing the university by changing the name University of Abuja to Yakubu Gowon University,” he said.
Also, the President of the Abuja Indigenous Students Association, Comrade Adamu Abdulbasit, raised concerns about the loss of the university’s identity and historical foundation.
He suggested that the government should focus on completing the abandoned University of Science and Technology in Abaji and rename it in honour of Ladi Kwali, a significant figure in Abuja’s history.