Tinubu’s Renaming Of UNIMAID Violates Due Process — Lawyer

President Bola Tinubu, On July 17, announced the renaming of the University of Maiduguri after his late predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.

This was announced during an expanded session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Announcing the decision, President Tinubu said, “Before we take the prayers in honour of his memory, with this special session of the Federal Executive Council (expanded), can we adopt the naming of the University of Maiduguri with a new name — Muhammadu Buhari University, Maiduguri?”

UNIMAID was established in 1975 by an Act of the National Assembly.

Tinubu’s decision to rename the institution in Buhari’s honour has triggered criticism from alumni and current students of the University, as well as from civil society groups and concerned citizens.

A petition titled “Preserve the Identity of the University of Maiduguri – A Respectful Appeal Against Renaming University of Maiduguri to Muhammadu Buhari University” on Change.org has garnered 9,629 as of the time of filing this report.

The petition, spearheaded by Opeyemi Olatinwo and backed by thousands of stakeholders, warned that renaming UNIMAID would erase the university’s legacy and undermine its symbolic importance.

The petitioners described the institution as “a beacon of hope in the North-East,” particularly during the years of the Boko Haram insurgency when it remained operational amid heightened insecurity.

“UNIMAID is more than a name; it is a brand and a beacon of hope in the North-East. Changing the name undermines its emotional and historical value,” the petition read.

The group acknowledged Buhari’s national contributions but argued that other institutions, such as the Federal University of Transportation in Daura or the Nigerian Army University in Biu, would be more appropriate for immortalizing the former president, especially given his military and leadership background.

“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 statement added.

It is also worth noting that several public facilities and institutions have already been named after Buhari in Borno State, including the Maiduguri International Airport and even the Senate Building at UNIMAID itself, and others, raising questions about the necessity of renaming the entire university.

Reacting to the controversy, legal practitioner, Mohammad Danjuma, faulted the procedure adopted by the president in remaining the institution.

Speaking with THE WHISTLER, Danjuma recalled that the University of Maiduguri was established by an act of the National Assembly, and any change to its name must pass through the same legislative process.

He questioned the decision to rename the university, citing a lack of personal or professional connection between the late president and the institution.

He said, “The University of Maiduguri was established by an act of the National Assembly. Nothing could be genuinely and legally done until that act is amended. The changed name can only take effect from the date of the amendment.

“Renaming the university before amending the act is ultra vires. In fact, it is void ab initio, it is void from the beginning,” he added.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has neither personal nor professional links with the University of Maiduguri. Why should it be named after him?” he asked.

He further said, “It is most appropriate for people to be honoured posthumously, but the naming should reflect the legacy they left behind. That’s how it is done in other countries.”

Danjuma warned that renaming long-established institutions like UNIMAID could have adverse effects on their alumni and current students.

“There is a slogan that if you want to be made, you go to UNIMAID. These slogans, these identities matter. As an alumni of University of Jos, we are proud of our institution. You can’t just wake up one day and tell us our university has been renamed after someone who has no link with us.”

He therefore advised affected stakeholders, including alumni, students, academic and non-academic unions, to explore legal and constitutional options.

“They can petition the presidency, approach the courts, go on strike, or organise peaceful protests. What matters is that the renaming must follow due process, regardless of who initiates it,” he concluded.

Tinubu’s Renaming Of UNIMAID Violates Due Process — Lawyer is first published on The Whistler Newspaper