Students of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) have voiced strong opposition to the decision by the federal government to rename their institution after former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon.
The protest took place on Thursday at the university’s main campus, with students carrying placards bearing messages such as, “Solve hunger problems not renaming UniAbuja,” and “We stand for UniAbuja. We are the center of unity.”
Speaking on behalf of the Students Union Government (SUG), Comrade Nkem Silas urged the federal government to reverse the renaming decision. He argued that the move could have adverse psychological effects on the students, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to maintain the institution’s original name.
Silas also revealed that the union plans to formally communicate its rejection through a letter addressed to the Federal Ministry of Education via the Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Jeremiah Vambe, a faculty member and alumnus of the university, also condemned the name change, stating that such a decision could lead to economic, legal, and psychological implications. “The legal implication is that they will have to amend the law establishing the university,” he told DAILY TRUST.
Comrade Adamu Abdulbasit, President of the Abuja Indigenous Students Association (AISA), expressed concerns about the potential loss of the university’s foundational history and its identity.
He proposed that the federal government should instead complete the abandoned University of Science and Technology in Abaji and name it after Ladi Kwali, a notable figure in Abuja’s history.
