Sat. Aug 30th, 2025

University of Maiduguri now Muhammadu Buhari University

Tinubu’s Renaming of UNIMAID After Buhari Undermines Academic Integrity, Says Expert

By Dele Fashomi 3 weeks ago

Dr. Marcel Mbamalu, a Jefferson Fellow and Publisher of Prime Business Africa, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent decision to rename the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) after former President Muhammadu Buhari, calling it a move that weakens academic integrity and institutional credibility.

Mbamalu argued that such honors should be based on collective respect, but Tinubu’s unilateral decision reflects a disregard for broad consensus, imposing homage without proper consultation.

“Universities are pillars of intellectual freedom and critical thinking. UNIMAID, a vital institution in the North-east, has faced severe underfunding and security challenges. Where is the moral justification in naming it after a leader under whose watch the institution struggled?” he questioned.

The renaming has drawn widespread backlash for excluding input from key stakeholders, including faculty and students. The UNIMAID chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) condemned the move as an insult to the university’s legacy.

Mbamalu proposed alternative honors, such as naming the Federal University of Transportation in Daura or the Nigerian Army University in Biu after Buhari, as more appropriate.

Urging the Federal Government to reconsider, he emphasized the need for democratic engagement.

“Reversing the decision or initiating genuine consultations would help rebuild public trust,” Mbamalu stated.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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