Former federal lawmaker from Kaduna State, Senator Shehu Sani, has openly criticized President Bola Tinubu's decision to rename the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) after late President Muhammadu Buhari, adding his voice to growing opposition against the move.
President Tinubu on Thursday announced the renaming of the institution as Muhammadu Buhari University during a Federal Executive Council (FEC) session dedicated to paying tributes to the former president. The announcement has triggered significant backlash from various stakeholders.
Taking to his official Facebook page, Sani expressed his disagreement with the decision, stating, "Many former and present students of University of Maiduguri are not happy about the renaming of their prestigious university, but they are shy or afraid of rejecting or condemning it because of the person whose name was used."
The former senator further emphasized his position, saying, "It's not that difficult to say that UNIMAID should remain UNIMAID and nothing else. So far all our airports and train stations have been renamed."
BenriNews gathered that both current and former students of the university have condemned the renaming, describing it as unnecessary and disruptive to the institution's established identity and heritage.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the practice of renaming established institutions in Nigeria, particularly when such decisions appear to be made without broad consultation with key stakeholders including alumni, current students, and faculty.
This development comes amid a broader pattern of renaming public infrastructure after political figures, which Sani alluded to in his statement about airports and train stations.
As of the time of this report, the presidency has not responded to the growing criticism against the renaming decision.
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