A Jefferson Fellow and Publisher of Prime Business Africa, Dr Marcel Mbamalu, has described the recent decision by President Bola Tinubu to rename the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) after his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, as undermining academic integrity and institutional credibility.

Mbamalu noted that while such decisions should reflect collective respect, Tinubu’s move reflected the mindset of a respected leader who refuses advice and imposes homage, lacking broad consensus.

“Universities are meant to be bastions of intellectual freedom and rigorous inquiry. UNIMAID is a key institution in the North-east, enduring severe underfunding and security threats. What moral authority justifies affixing Buhari’s name to an institution that struggled to survive under his leadership?” he queried.

The decision to rename UNIMAID has been widely criticised for lacking consultation with stakeholders, including staff and students.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UNIMAID chapter, said the decision was a brazen affront to the university’s legacy and academic integrity.

Mbamalu suggested that alternative honours, such as naming the Federal University of Transportation, Daura, or the Nigerian Army University in Biu after him, would be more fitting.

While calling on the federal government to reconsider its decision, Mbamalu said the government must demonstrate that it values democratic ideals by listening to the people.

According to him, reversing the decision or initiating meaningful consultation would be a positive step in restoring trust.