By Andrew Agbese
Alumni associations of institutions play key roles in the development of Ivory Towers. They have become so important and entrenched in the bid to improve institutions that they’re now infused into the administration of universities.
But there are certain issues where the interest of the host community, should count.
If asked which between the alumni association and the host community should concede to the other in terms of issues that have to do with the name of the institution, I will answer the question in favour of the latter.
While I understand the attachment of an alumni to their alma mater, it is obvious that such is mainly emotive stemming from nostalgia and long periods of association.
When it comes to name change, apart from the fact people normally resist changes, the implication the change is bound to have on the documents which bear the old name evokes a revolting sentiment.
But the host community equally bears the brunt of the social implications of whatever happens to the institution as they relate with the school in their every day interactions. They not only school there but they work there, live with it and consider it part and parcel of their lives and citing it as one of their achievements in life.
Their fate inexorably, becomes intertwined with such structures.
It is out of such considerations I believe, that most institutions, are given the names of the places they’re sited even if the community or town it is located, know nothing about how the decision to establish and site it their in communities were arrived at.
Implied, when the need to change the name of the institution arises, the sensibilities of the host community should be paramount.
Usually, such name changes are triggered by the need to honour the founders of such institutions or when some important developments occur that override the expediency of adopting the name of the place it is located.
In most cases, they’re done with the understanding that it would sit well with the host community.
That is why we have names such as Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; instead of the University of Zaria or Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, instead of the University of Awka.
Extrapolated, that could be also why we are yet to see a university named after a person or event considered provocative to the host community.
When the need for baptism becomes imperative, their compatibility with the nomenclature is also compelling.
Following the renaming of the University of Maiduguri, to Muhammadu Buhari University, Maiduguri, MBUM; however, the alumni association and the academic staff union have initiated processes to resist the new name.
But it is doubtful if both associations considered the views of the host community which it would be the first casualty since the university is bearing the name of the town.
So far, I have not seen anywhere the people of Maiduguri or Borno State in general are protesting the renaming of the school. The resistance I have seen are mainly from the old students and the academic staff union.
Going through their points, I couldn’t see argument other than saying they prefer the old name because it has been there for decades.
The ASUU is particularly irked that the baptism is coming at a time it is about celebrating the 50th anniversary of the school.
From what I know of the people of Borno and Yobe States, that resistance would be considered our of place.
The people of the old Borno will find it hard to oppose anything done to honour Buhari more so when it’s in their domain.
The fact that Buhari is the first governor of the old Borno State comprising the present Yobe State and later rose to be head of state and president is even enough reason to have a monument in the state named after him but there are more reasons.
Buhari by his antecedents is half Kanuri given that his mother was from Kukawa in Borno State, so the point about his not being from the state does not arise.
Others say he did not do anything extra ordinary to support education in all the positions he held and that he even closed universities for eight months when he was head of state.
It is true that universities were closed down during his tenure as head of state but to say he never supported anything to do with educational development especially in higher institutions is a terminological inexactitude.
The Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF, which Buhari headed, executed no less than 52 projects in Nigerian universities.
A simple search would also reveal that
the University of Maiduguri, as it then was, benefited immensely from PTF “particularly in areas like infrastructural development and the provision of educational materials.”
Going by the history of the institution, though it was during the administration of Murtala Mohammed that the School was established, it was based on a recommendation by the NUC in the previous administrations under Gen Yakubu Gowon.
But Murtala already has the second largest higher institution in the state, the Ramat Polytechnic, named after him leaving only Gowon and Buhari who was the first governor of the state with reasonable claims to sharing a common history with the university.
But in terms of resonance with the immediate environment, the latter takes precedence.
Though it is a federal university, if the people of Borno State do not mind having the name changed to a figure they have great respect for then why the uproar?
Same applied to the University of Ife when the name was changed. The people welcomed it because of the respect they have for Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
It was only lately that I realised that it was not even Chief Awolowo that founded the University but Ladoke Akintola when he was premier of Western region.
Awolowo, in the present structure of Nigeria would not even be considered an indegene of Osun state where the university is and neither would Akintola who hailed from Ogbomosho in the current Oyo State.
But I’m sure that if the people of Osun or the entire former Western region are to vote, for either a reversal of the name or for a retention of the status quo or a change to the name of the founder, they would still vote for the retention of the current name.
The people of Borno respect Buhari.
Check the votes Buhari got from Borno and Yobe in all the elections he had participated in and you will see my point.
Recall that at the height of the effort to negotiate with Boko Haram, even such miscreants admitted that one of the persons they can trust to enter into negotiation on their behalf with the Jonathan government was Buhari.
That is the extent to which they respect him and I believe the people wouldn’t mind donating anything within their states to preserve his name.
