THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) branch, has kicked against the renaming of the institution after the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
This was contained in a statement signed by chairperson of the branch, Abubakar Saidu, and Assistant Secretary, Peter Terru, following a special congress held on Thursday, July 24, 2025.
The union described the move as “arbitrary, ill-conceived, and lacking in meaningful consultation.”
The meeting, attended by union members, representatives of the Student Union Government (SUG), and other stakeholders, unanimously rejected the renaming of the 50-year-old institution to Muhammadu Buhari University, Maiduguri.
The union vowed to resist the change, insisting that the name “University of Maiduguri” carried historical, cultural, and regional significance that must be preserved.
“The attempt to alter the institution’s name undermines its legacy and disregards the collective memory of its stakeholders,” the union said.
The ASUU-UNIMAID further described the decision as a “flagrant disregard for university autonomy and a direct affront to academic traditions and identity.
“Congress unequivocally demands the immediate and unconditional reversal of this unacceptable decision because it is ill-conceived, arbitrary, and devoid of meaningful consultation with the university community, alumni, other relevant stakeholders and the broader public. Such a unilateral decision reflects a troubling disregard for due process and stakeholder engagement in governance.”
The union warned that it would explore all legal avenues to challenge the decision and ensure the original name of the university is retained.
It also called on the national leadership of ASUU, other branches of the union, civil society groups, students, and the National Assembly to reject any attempt to give legislative backing to the renaming.
The group also commended its Executive Committee for taking a firm stance on the issue and ratified all previous actions taken to oppose the move.
The union reaffirmed its commitment to defending academic freedom and institutional identity, saying the University of Maiduguri would continue to stand as a symbol of knowledge, resilience, and national unity in the North-East and across Nigeria.
The ICIR reported that the Federal Government’s decision to rename the University of Maiduguri after Buhari sparked mixed reactions from Nigerians, including students and past students of the institution.
President Bola Tinubu announced the renaming on Thursday, July 17, after a Federal Executive Council (FEC) session of tributes held in Abuja to commemorate the life and contributions of the former president to Nigeria.
While the presidency said the move honoured the former president’s contribution to national security, cohesion and discipline, some argued that Buhari did little to advance education, especially during his eight years in office as a democratically elected president.
The ICIR reports that during Buhari’s tenure, Nigerian universities faced some of the longest strikes in history, including a nine-month shutdown in 2020 and another eight-month closure in 2022.
Buhari was also criticised for failing to engage meaningfully with ASUU or implement education-friendly policies.
Under his watch as president, Nigerian public universities were shut down for over 600 days.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.