AS public backlash continues over the renaming of the University of Maiduguri after former President Muhammadu Buhari, data obtained by The ICIR reveals that the late leader presided over the longest period of suspension of academic activities by public university lecturers in Nigeria since the country’s return to democracy in 1999.
Buhari, a retired major general, ruled Nigeria as military Head of State from December 1983 to August 1985, and as elected president from May 2015 to May 2023.
Between 2015 and 2023, federal universities were shut for 642 days due to strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The figure represents 22 per cent of his total 2,922 days in office, which also means that more than one in every five days of his administration was lost to industrial action by public varsity lecturers.
The shutdowns, largely triggered by the administration’s failure to fulfil agreements on funding and welfare, left thousands of students stranded.
During this period, federal universities were closed for nine months in 2020 and another eight months in 2022 following unresolved disagreements between ASUU and the Federal Government over funding, salaries, and university revitalisation.
The ASUU had repeatedly accused the Buhari-led administration of failing to honour agreements and neglecting the public education system.
Among others, the university lecturers demanded the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), payment of outstanding arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) and the release of an agreed sum of money for revitalising public universities (federal and state).
They also demanded payment of promotion arrears, the release of withheld salaries of academics, and payment of outstanding third-party deductions.
The ICIR reported how industrial actions adversely affected Nigerian students in public universities, as the suspension of academic activities led to prolonged academic calendars, disrupted students’ plans, and resulted in additional costs.
However, in what many critics described as a contradiction, the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu on July 17 renamed the University of Maiduguri to honour Buhari.
Worse than his predecessors
A comparison of civilian administrations since 1999 shows that no president comes close to Buhari in the number of days that Nigerian public universities were shut down.
While ASUU downed tools during the tenures of Buhari’s predecessors, the strikes under the late leader lasted longer, occurred more frequently, and often ended without meaningful resolution.
He was also accused of keeping a Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who many thought lacked knowledge and interest in helping the nation’s education system.
Data shows that former President Olusegun Obasanjo lost 541 days to ASUU strikes in his eight-year tenure, accounting for 18.5 per cent of his time in office.
Under former President Goodluck Jonathan, ASUU was on strike for 359 days, representing 19.4 per cent of his nearly five-year term.
The late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who spent less than three years in power before his death, had 127 days of strikes, amounting to 11.8 per cent of his presidency.
Reactions
Many Nigerians, including UNIMAID’s alumni and current students, rejected the renaming, noting that it was politically motivated and that Buhari did not deserve to have a public university named after him, especially given his administration’s perceived neglect of Nigeria’s public education system.
Some pointed to the prolonged industrial actions by ASUU during his tenure as president, with federal universities shut down cumulatively for over 600 days – evidence that his government failed to prioritise education.
An X user, Ohijeme, criticised the move, arguing that Buhari “did not significantly contribute to the education sector, nor did he initiate major school renovation projects (sic).”
The user further alleged that Tinubu’s decision to rename the institution was a “desperate attempt to curry favour from the North.”
Another user, Jude, also condemned the decision. “It is not a welcome development as Alumni, we have core values and respect for the name UNIMAID. Renaming it is heartbreaking, and we reject it.”
Others also argued that naming a university after Buhari in Maiduguri, a place that is not his hometown, was a misplacement of tribute. They said if any institution should be renamed, it should be one in Katsina State, his home state, or a non-academic project, such as a hospital or a public facility that better aligns with his legacy.
Meanwhile, some Nigerians welcomed the renaming and lauded Buhari’s ‘achievements’ in the North-East, where the university is located, and the late leader’s fight against Boko Haram, which has its roots in the region.
They described the move as a tribute to Buhari’s legacy of restoring peace to Borno State after many years of battling insurgency.
A social media user, Mohammed Nuwar, lauded the move, stating that, “Most importantly, he (Buhari) came to the rescue of Borno in the worst days of insurgency when we couldn’t safely go about our activities, to restore peace and order.
“We can’t thank him enough even in his death.”
Another user, Yahaya Sadisu, wrote, “Naming UNIMAID after President Muhammadu Buhari is more than a tribute — it’s a recognition of discipline, sacrifice, and unwavering service to Nigeria. History will remember him not just for what he did, but for what he stood for.”
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M