By Peter Omopo — July 20, 2025
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) chapter, says it will soon make its official position known regarding the recent decision by President Bola Tinubu to rename the institution after late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The ASUU chapter’s chairman, Dr. Abubakar M’Sheila, disclosed this in a telephone interview on Sunday, stating that the union’s stance will be made public after the next congress meeting.
“Our members will be meeting, and we shall make our position known to the public,” M’Sheila said. “The executive committee and veterans have met. We have collectively decided that soon, we will make our position public and convey the message to whom it may concern.”
However, he declined to hint at what the union’s final position might be.
The renaming of the university has sparked mixed reactions from students and members of the university community. Speaking with PUNCH Online, the President of the Student Union Government (SUG), Yahaya Maigari, said a significant percentage of students were not in support of the name change.
“We cannot say all of our students, or 100 per cent, have accepted the change,” Maigari said. “A certain percentage rejected the renaming because of the university’s long-standing reputation. We are approaching UNIMAID at 50—five decades of existence. It’s not easy for some students to embrace such a sudden change.”
Despite this, Maigari personally expressed support for the renaming, praising Buhari’s contribution to education and the development of Borno State.
“For me, as the SUG President, I support the decision to rename the university after the late President, particularly in recognition of his lifelong contributions to Borno and Nigeria at large,” he stated.
Similarly, Muhammad Bello, the immediate past SUG President, welcomed the move, describing it as a fitting tribute to Buhari’s legacy.
“The renaming of UNIMAID is a tribute to the late President’s contribution to Nigeria,” Bello said. “Though some may debate the decision, I see it as a gesture that reflects his impact on the nation and the world.”
The federal government’s decision came days after the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, reportedly died in a London hospital after a brief illness. The move to rename the university in his honour is part of a series of posthumous recognitions initiated by the Tinubu administration.
Further developments are expected after the upcoming ASUU congress meeting.
