Students of the University of Lagos protesting the change of the varsity’s name to Moshood Abiola University in Lagos, yesterday.
** Workers, students give Presidency 24-hour ultimatum to rescind decision Students and workers of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Ako-ka, yesterday trooped to the streets en masse to protest what they described as the sudden change of the insti-tution’s name. In his Democracy Day message yesterday morn-ing, President Goodluck Jonathan had announced, among other things, that UNILAG would henceforth be known and called Mo-shoold Abiola University to immortalise the late politi-cian who died in incarcera-tion. As soon as the announce-ment was made, the stu-dents, whose union had long been banned, mobil-ised themselves and moved to Fadeyi-Jibowu-Yaba road carrying placards with various inscriptions such as “Mr. No Shoe, we say no to Moshood Abiola University. So leave us alone;” “Jonathan, you are drunk, name-change is not what we need but safety of lives and properties and good economy,” among oth-ers. The protest, which cre-ated traffic gridlock around Akoka, Somolu, Yaba and Onipanu, left many com-muters stranded for sev-eral hours as commercial motorbike operators also inflated their fares. In their reactions, some of the students who spoke to National Mirror con-demned the decision, say-ing it was not only shocking but also ridiculous.
A 400-level student and President of the Industrial Relations and Personnel Management Students’ As-sociation of the university, Bamishaye Michael, vowed on behalf of his colleagues that there shall be no peace on the campus until the President rescinds the deci-sion.
He said the challenges facing Nigeria is much more than name-change and that the ‘much valued’ name of the 50-year-old uni-versity cannot be thrown into the dustbin. The Speaker of the insti-tution’s branch of Nigerian Universities Education Stu-dents’ Association (NUE-SA), Idowu Ayodele, said the students would fight the name-change with every-thing within their capacity.
Meanwhile, the uni-versity’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has immediately declared the suspension of academic ac-tivities until the decision is rescinded. Addressing students yes-terday, ASUU Chairman, Dr. Oghenekaro Ogbinaka, pledged the union’s support for the protest and vowed that the union will not only join the street protest but head for the law court to resist the President’s order. “The change of name of our beloved university by the President can be likened to his action on January 1st when Nigeri-ans woke up and received the news of fuel subsidy removal.
Apart from the argument that we were not consulted it is clearly obvi-ous that this action is only to score a cheap political point. “It is unfortunate that Jonathan has once again thrown our university into sorrow particularly at a time we are about to bury our late vice-chancellor. We are saying from here that this unwise decision can-not stand because we will fight it out. It is an ethnic agenda and it is a joke.
So, on behalf of our union I say there shall be no lecture un-til the decision is reversed and we give him 48 hours to act,” Dr. Ogbinaka said. The ASUU chairman said he was part of the university’s team which welcomed the Education Minister, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai, to the university on a condolence visit but there was no inkling that such a decision was in the making.
“In fact, on the entou-rage of the minister were other stakeholders in the education sector including the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof. Julius Okojie, and they nev-er raised such. So we are sure these people were not carried along,” Ogbinaka added.
In his reaction also, the Chairman of the uni-versity’s branch of Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), Mr. Ganiyu Oseni, kicked against the decision and urged all stakeholders to rise against it. He called on the university’s alumni as-sociation leadership to take necessary steps to reverse the decision.
The Chairman of the Se-nior Staff Association of Ni-gerian Universities, UNILAG chapter, Mr. Adekola Adetun-wa, said as the chairman of a democratic union the Presi-dent’s decision does not befit a democracy.
He said the people’s opin-ion has been expressed and there is no point holding on to what has been rejected by the people. As at the time of filing this report, efforts to get the opinion of the Presi-dent of the university’s alumni association, Prof. Olaide Abass, and princi-pal officers of the univer-sity proved abortive.
But an alumnus and Provost, Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Epe, Lagos, Prof. Olu Akeusola, said the decision to name UNILAG after the late busi-ness mogul was not in or-der.
Akeusola cited three reasons why UNILAG can-not be renamed after late Abiola. He said: “Chief MKO was never an alumnus of the university; he was never part of its establish-ment story and was not a member of academia.
He was known for his great contributions to sport de-velopment and if National Stadium and even National Theatre had been named af-ter him there wouldn’t have been problem.”
Addressing the students, acting Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Rah-man Bello, urged them to remain calm and avoid violent reactions over the name-change. Bello appealed to the students to return to their respective hostels and avoid any protest that could lead to the closure of the school.
“We appreciate your grievances, and the ways you have exhibited your emotions, but don’t give the enemy a chance for his will to prevail, because if the school is closed down as a result of your protest, it will automatically elon-gate your time here.
I want to assure you that we were not consulted before the de-cision was taken, we only listened to Mr. President’s speech and heard it just like you,” he said. The acting VC said all stakeholders and manage-ment staff have consulted him on the issue and main-tained that the name re-mains UNILAG and noth-ing more.
He said all efforts will be put in place to reach the President on the issue, add-ing that UNILAG was estab-lished by an Act of Parlia-ment and for the name to be changed; the same process needs to be followed. “At least for the sake of our late VC, let us allow him to be buried.
I believe the spirit of late Sofoluwe will not allow this to happen. Remember that UNILAG was in Sofoluwe and he was so passionate about the name UNILAG as the nation’s pride and I know his spirit will not rest until the decision is re-scinded,” he concluded.
The Save Nigeria Group, SNG, in its own reaction lambasted the President’s move, describing it as an abuse of power. The group, in a state-ment by its spokesman, Mr. Yinka Odumakin yesterday said that, while acknowl-edging the contribution of Chief Abiola to the coun-try’s democratic dispensa-tion, it deplores the inde-cent manner with which the President re-named the university after him.“
Renaming a university established by law through presidential fiat is an abuse of power, which would make even the symbol of democ-racy turn several times in his grave as he died in the process of fighting against arbitrariness and rule of the thumb which the annulment of June 12 represented.
“It is violation of the principles and tenets of democracy, which govern-ment officials are celebrat-ing to go on air to announce the renaming of an institu-tion like the University of Lagos without any consul-tations with the university community.
A leader of Pan Yoruba socio- political group, Af-enifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti described the renaming as a belated de-velopment.Fasoranti, who spoke with National Mirror in Akure in a telephone inter-view, said the Federal Gov-ernment has no justifica-tion to immortalise the late Abiola 14 years after he was ‘killed’ in mysterious cir-cumstances ‘by the state’.
He said: “I don’t see the rationale behind the so-called gesture coming this time. Is that the best they can do? They robbed him of his victory.
Nothing short of restoring Abiola’s man-date before they killed him would be acceptable to us.”However, Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, yesterday de-scribed the Federal Govern-ment gesture as better late than never.
Speaking through the state Information Commis-sioner, Kayode Akinmade, the governor said the con-tribution of the late Abiola to the enthronement of de-mocracy in Nigeria could not be underestimated.
Mimiko said, “The late Abiola remained a hero of democracy. He is a martyr, who laid his life for Nigeri-ans to enjoy democracy.“Political office holders in the country would only make the late martyr proud in his death if they make sacrifices and work hard to make those who voted them to power, enjoy real divi-dends of democracy.”Also reacting to the deci-sion, human rights activ-ist, Bamidele Aturu said UNILAG was justified to reject the name-change.
“Nevertheless, the change of name cannot law-fully be done until the Act establishing UNILAG has been amended. “The reality that con-fronts all of us is that the generation of UNILAG students may not even un-derstand our history. It is likely they do not appreci-ate the significance of late Abiola.
”However, the National Vice-President, Academic Staff Union of Universi-ties, ASUU, Dr. Nasir Fag-ge, said that the renaming of the university was a welcome development to democracy.He said: “It is a welcome development to the coun-try’s democracy.
The gov-ernment has the right to rename any institution or national monument,” he said, adding however that the change of name was sudden and was done with-out due consultations. Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, Head of the Department of Mass Communication in the university, criticised the renaming of the institu-tion. Describing it as a mis-placed priority, the don not-ed that the announcement came at a time when the university was still mourn-ing the death of its vice chancellor.
“The renaming came at a wrong time and it was not done in accordance with the law establishing the in-stitution. “It is not a wrong thing to honour the late Abiola, who sacrificed so much during his life time for democracy, but the process and choice of institution, is wrong.
“Abiola was not a sec-tional leader. If any honour should be given to him, it should be done in the Fed-eral Capital Territory,” Ak-infeleye said. He suggested that the National Stadium or the University of Abuja should be named after the late poli-tician. Founder of the Odu’a People’s Congress (OPC), Dr Frederick Faseun, said the renaming had “down-graded the university.”
“Abiola was my very good friend, but I still do not support the naming of the University of Lagos after him based on local senti-ment.
“Obviously, Abiola mer-its any democratic concept that could be named after him, but his aspirations had nothing to do with a university of the status of UNILAG,” he said. Prof. Pat Utomi, the 2011 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Mega Party, SDMP, also said that it was a good thing to name a monument after Abiola, but more consul-tations should have been held to determine what was most suitable.
He suggested that the Federal University of Agri-culture, Abeokuta, should have been named after him. Former Governor of Ka-duna State, Balarabe Musa described the development as a good omen, describing the effort as commendable and symbolic. President Jonathan’s move was to honour Abiola as a martyr that sacrificed his life for the enthrone-ment of democracy in the country.
Abiola died in custody on July 7, 1998 under the military dictatorship of late General Sani Abacha in a bid to reclaim his man-date that was denied him by the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential elec-tion by military President Ibrahim Babangida.
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