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V!EW BEFORE THEY GOT DELETED| Baltazar FROM Equatorial Guinea TRENDS AGAIN AS OVER 50 OF HIS FRESH BEDR00M V!DEOS SVRFACES ONLINE.THE University of Abuja’s Alumni Association and Ex-students Leaders have rejected the Federal Government’s proposal to rename the institution after former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon. ...Tap To Read The Full Story Here | ..Tap To Read The Full Story Here...
This was disclosed in a statement signed and made available to journalists by the group’s convener and a former National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) vice president (National Affairs), Habeeb Abdulkadir.
In the statement titled “Proposed Renaming of University of Abuja to Yakubu Gowon University – A Right Step in the Wrong Direction,” the association cited the potential destruction of the school’s legacy, significant social and financial costs, and logistical challenges as some of the reasons it rejected the renaming.
The group acknowledged the need to honour Gowon’s contributions to national unity, citing how he led the nation through the civil war and restored unity among the nation’s heterogeneous population, despite the devastations and human toll that accompanied the war.
However, it argued that renaming the university would negate its branding efforts, complicate administrative processes, and diminish its prestige.
Instead, the group suggested alternative ways to honour Gowon, which include renaming Eagle Square in Abuja after him or establishing a new institution or research centre in his name.
Besides, the body said the government could rename the proposed University of Science and Technology Abuja after the nonagenarian retired general.
The association also said it had petitioned President Bola Tinubu, leaders of the National Assembly, the minister of education, and the executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to formally register its displeasure with the planned renaming.
It explained that “University of Abuja is indeed a national symbol, having reflected the institution’s geographical and national identity, which symbolises a connection to Abuja, the nation’s centre for unity, which represents the convergence of Nigeria’s diverse cultures, ethnicities, and histories.”
The alumni and former student leaders urged the government to focus on funding the institution’s infrastructure and improving its curriculum rather than renaming it. It argued that in addition to losing its prestige, a huge resources would be wasted in the renaming process, which would necessitate “costly rebranding efforts and adjustment to official documentation, signage, and affiliation, among many other things.”
It also cautioned that changing the school’s name would eroding the sense of pride and identity that its’ alumni, students, and staff had built.
“The move to rename the university raises questions about consultation and public involvement in national decisions affecting education. Stakeholders (including students, faculty, staff, and alumni) feel excluded in the decision process, which we perceive as a top-down imposition.
“Transparency and inclusive dialogue in such matters could have led to a more widely accepted change, or reasons would have been adduced not to go on with the renaming ab initio while minimising polarisation and resistance within academic and public circles. The reverse is completely the case here.”
The ICIR reported that the Federal Government renamed the University after Gowon on Monday, December 16.
The minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the Tinubu-led government’s decision while discussing with State House correspondents after the council’s meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Established in January 1988 under Decree No. 110 of 1992 (as amended), the University of Abuja, widely known as UniAbuja, functions as a dual-mode institution, providing both conventional and distance learning programmes.
Currently, the university comprises nine faculties, the College of Health Sciences, a School of Remedial Studies, a Centre for Distance Learning, an Institute of Education, and a School of Postgraduate Studies, among others.V!EW BEFORE THEY GOT DELETED| Baltazar FROM Equatorial Guinea TRENDS AGAIN AS OVER 50 OF HIS FRESH BEDR00M V!DEOS SVRFACES ONLINE.
Gowon, who served as Nigeria’s Head of State from 1966 to 1975, is widely remembered for introducing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 1973, a programme aimed at fostering national integration after the nearly three-year civil war he led...Tap To Read The Full Story Here.
