The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) chapter, has fiercely rejected President Bola Tinubu’s proposal to rename the institution after the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement signed by the chapter’s chairman, Dr. Abubakar Mshelia Saidu, ASUU described the move as “politically motivated” and “a brazen affront” to the university’s legacy, academic integrity, and historic identity.
The proposed renaming, which was announced during a special Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held in Buhari’s honour on July 17, has sparked outrage across the university and beyond.
ASUU condemned the move, insisting that the decision desecrates the soul of the institution, particularly as it prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary under the well-known UNIMAID name.
“This action is not merely shocking—it desecrates the sanctity of our alma mater,” the union stated.
ASUU further criticized the attempt as an attempt to trade institutional pride for political patronage. “UNIMAID’s reputation wasn’t built on political convenience. It was earned through decades of resilience, especially amid the insurgency in the North-East,” the statement read.
The union is mobilising its Congress, veterans, and extended executive council to resist the move, adding that its response will be “unequivocal, forceful, and commanding.”
ASUU called on the public and the academic community to join in collective resistance, urging intellectual and factual contributions ahead of its next deliberations.
“We must articulate our adamant opposition and demand the immediate reversal of this ill-conceived and deeply offensive decision,” it concluded.
Critics argue that Buhari already has numerous institutions and landmarks named after him—especially in Borno State—making this latest effort unnecessary and divisive.
UNIMAID, founded in 1975, is one of Nigeria’s foremost federal universities and has long upheld academic excellence despite security challenges in the region.
