By Waziri Mahdi Isa
A coalition of alumni and stakeholders under the banner Concerned UNIMAID Alumni Association/Friends of UNIMAID has vehemently opposed President Bola Tinubu’s decision to rename the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) after the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a strongly worded statement released on Friday, the group described the move as politically motivated and detrimental to the 48-year-old institution’s heritage.
Established in 1975, UNIMAID has survived insurgency and economic crises to become the Northeast’s premier academic hub. The alumni argued that renaming it would erase its hard-earned identity.
“UNIMAID is a beacon of academic excellence and resilience. Renaming it for political gain undermines its historical significance,” the statement read.
The group acknowledged Buhari’s contributions but suggested alternative memorials like a new university or research center bearing his name.
The statement recalled the 2012 backlash when ex-President Goodluck Jonathan attempted renaming the University of Lagos (UNILAG) after MKO Abiola, which was reversed following protests.
“If Southwest rejected renaming UNILAG for their hero, we reject this ‘Greek gift’ imposed on UNIMAID,” they declared, describing their resistance as a defense of institutional autonomy.
The alumni urged Tinubu to consult stakeholders, including students, faculty, and the host community, before proceeding.
“UNIMAID’s slogan—‘If you want to be made, enter UNIMAID’—symbolizes its transformative role. Political renaming risks diluting this legacy,” they emphasized.