The Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Maiduguri Chapter, has said it will soon make public its stance on the recent renaming of the institution after late former President Muhammadu Buhari by President Bola Tinubu.
According to The PUNCH, the ASUU chairman, Dr. Abubakar M’Sheli, stated that the union’s position will be communicated after its next congress.
“Our members will be meeting, and we shall make our position known to the public,” M’Sheli said. “The executive committee has already deliberated, and the veterans have also met. We will present a united stance when the congress holds.”
He, however, declined to reveal what the union’s final decision might be ahead of the congress.
The proposed renaming has sparked mixed reactions within the university community. President Bola Tinubu had announced the change to honour the late President Buhari, who reportedly died in a London hospital last Sunday after a brief illness.
While some stakeholders have welcomed the development, a section of the student body has expressed reservations.
The President of the Student Union Government (SUG), Yahaya Maigari, acknowledged that many students are opposed to the change.
“A significant number of our students have not accepted the name change,” Maigari noted. “The university has built a strong identity over the past five decades, and for many, it’s difficult to embrace such a sudden alteration.”
Despite the pushback, Maigari personally expressed support for the renaming.
“I support the decision to honour President Buhari in this way. He made meaningful contributions to education, not only in Borno State but across Nigeria,” he added.
Also speaking in favour of the change, immediate past SUG President, Muhammad Bello, described the renaming as a fitting tribute.
“Though opinions may differ, I believe the renaming of the university reflects the former President’s significant impact on Nigeria and the global community,” Bello said.