Outrage As UNIMAID Community Kicks Against Renaming School After Buhari

A wave of protests has erupted among students, alumni, and residents of Borno State following President Bola Tinubu’s decision to rename the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in honour of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The announcement was made during an extended Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, where Tinubu said the university would now be known as Muhammadu Buhari University. He said the renaming was a way to honour the former president’s contributions to the country.

The move, however, has been met with sharp rejection from members of the university community and beyond. Many say UNIMAID’s name is more than just a label — it’s a symbol of strength, history, and survival in a region that has endured years of conflict and hardship.

Students and alumni argue that the school’s name carries deep meaning, especially in the North-East, where it has stood as a beacon of education and resilience. They say changing it would erase the identity and emotional attachment many people have to the institution.

In response, concerned groups have launched a public petition titled Preserve the Identity of the University of Maiduguri. The petition has already gathered nearly 9,000 signatures in just two days. It calls on President Tinubu to reverse the decision and instead consider renaming other institutions that have stronger personal links to Buhari.

They suggest the Federal University of Transportation in Daura, Buhari’s hometown, or the Nigerian Army University in Biu, as more appropriate options. According to them, these schools reflect his military background and legacy more directly than UNIMAID.

The petition described UNIMAID as a respected institution that has educated generations of leaders, professionals, and patriots across Africa. Supporters say its name has become a brand that commands respect globally, and changing it would be like tearing out a part of its soul.

Many who signed the petition say they are not against honouring Buhari, but they believe it should not come at the cost of stripping UNIMAID of its historic identity. They want Tinubu to find other ways to immortalise the former president — perhaps through monuments, legacy projects, or research institutes — without altering the name of a school that means so much to so many.

The backlash highlights the sensitive nature of legacy, identity, and public memory in Nigeria, especially when it involves institutions tied to regional pride and cultural history. As reactions continue to pour in, all eyes are now on the presidency to see whether it will uphold the renaming or yield to the growing calls for a reversal.