President Jonathan renames UNILAG as Moshood Abiola University

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, during his democracy day speech Tuesday morning,  announced that Nigeria’s University of first choice , University of Lagos, Akoka, is to be renamed Moshood Abiola University, in honour of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (August 24, 1937 – July 7, 1998).

“The Federal Government has decided that late Chief MKO Abiola should be honoured. In honour of Chief MKO Abiola, the University of Lagos is renamed the Moshood Abiola University.”  President Jonathan said in his speech to Nigerians.

Jonathan said that late Chief MKO Abiola, and other heroes and martyrs of democracy made huge sacrifices and ensured that military dictatorship became a thing of the past.

Abiola’s self-declaration as president based on the result of the election led to his incarceration and his eventual death.
By renaming UNILAG after Abiola, Jonathan has yielded to widespread clamour for the Federal Government to name a befitting monument after Abiola.

MKO Abiola died in the detention on July 7, 1998 a month after military despot, Gen. Sani Abacha, died in office. Abiola had been arrested on June 23, 1994 in Lagos and detained till he died for demanding the actualisation of the mandate given him by Nigerians in the June 12, 1993 presidential election on the platform of the Social Democratic Party.

The election described as the most credible in the history of the country was annulled by a former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, whose regime conducted the poll.

UNILAG students protest name-change

Meanwhile, students of UNILAG have immediately begun protesting the name change, with majority of them saying that the name of the tertiary institution must remain unchanged.

37 COMMENTS

  1. I swear this so called mr president has finally lost it.. Did he even do any research to find out where MKO is from.. This guy is just a dump-ass. GEJ u have finally proven to me that u no nothing.. Pls just get the fuck off the presidential seat. U are too dump for my liking.

  2. Good. Its time to remember the HERO of Nigeria democracy. Don’t blame the students that are protesting as alot of them were either in primary or nusery school when the great hero (Moshod Abiola) died and what he died for. Long live Nigeria

  3. You see my fellow Nigerians,there are some things that are odd to hear,i can’t believe a school like unilag would be renamed,it should have been named BOKO HARAM university because that would have popularize the name of the school, i don’t know the number of things they want to name Abiola after,a dead man is a dead man,its too bad to hear this and i tell you oga JOOOOOOO will pay for this,kai.

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  5. Value chains will be broken while re-naming our educational institutions of higher learning incessantly without considering the present Unilag undergraduates and those who will attend the school in the future who may not be able to explain the this politically motivated change of name to foreign institutions in case, they seek foreign admission for their Masters programs, just because, The brand called Unilag is a global brand already.

  6. Our president is directionless, directionlessness, oga jooo has scattered everything,infact now i know that the guy(oga jo) is something else,this is too bad of him,all our certificate would need to be renamed,is this the 50th year celebration gift from oga joooo? we won’t allow this,and i tell you that oga jo will pay for this.

  7. This guy called Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is nothing but Badluck. He has his priorities screwed up and is oblivious of the tenets of true democracy – one of which is consultation. There is nothing wrong in changing a name but a lot wrong in not listening to the voice of the people. He is a disgrace to the Nigerian Presidency and has also shown that having a Phd has nothing to do with being smart. He is what you call a total waste of space. He has not done anything and he is able to talk about things that are of little or no concern to the citizens of Nigeria. It is sad to think that with the number of smart administrators we have in Nigeria, this so called waste of space is what we have ended up with. Not surprising when the majority of the populace voting are not well educated thanks to wasted years of independence and as such will vote for the likes of badluck with catch phrases like “put ya hand on the umblera” Nigeria is in trouble o, the dirty nature of politics has caused the good ones to step back and watch. Hmmmn we have the likes of Obasanjo, Babangida and i guess some faceless fellow Nigerians to thank for the state of our so called Giant of Africa, the so called place to be. Its a sad tale of a country that is or should i say was destined for greatness.

  8. Can’t help but L̳̿Ö̤̣̇☺ː̗̀(=)))ː̖́☺Ö̤̣̇L̳̿ . Mr. Presido Nε̲̣̣̣̥ε̲̣̣̣̥d̶̲̥̅̊ t̶̲̥̅̊ø̲̣̣̥ get a life. As a matter σ̲̅f̲̮̲̅͡ fact he Ȋ̝̊̅§ brainless. I dnt blame him for naming Τ̲̅ђƎ school after abiola. But D̶̲̥̅̊ Ȋ̝̊̅§ not an important issue at hand. We have lifes lost almost eveyday Ω̴̩̩̩̥ D̶̲̥̅̊ man gat nothing t̶̲̥̅̊ø̲̣̣̥ do about it. D̶̲̥̅̊α̲̅τ̲̅ Ȋ̝̊̅§ y ȋ̝̊̅̄ see D̶̲̥̅̊ t̶̲̥̅̊ø̲̣̣̥ ßε̲̣̣̣̥ pointless at tjis time. ȋ̝̊̅̄ pray ǦǿD̶̲̥̅̊ bless naija i̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̥̅̊ way we list expected

  9. I wonder what will make people appreciate a little gesture ? When d former n the present president refused to honour this man(Abiola) we all started crying wolf but now that he has listened to our cries we keeps condeming him.Wonder they say shall never end.How many of us can sacrifises our lives n business for d sake of Nigerians as Abiola did ? In my own candid opinion I fully give my support.No sentiment.

  10. OH WAT A NONSENSE, our so-called oga joo has just displayed foolishness of the highest order,we won’t allow this,been a president of indecision has cause him errors of the greatest century,who knows may be this is the reason why they poison our patriot(SHOFOLUWE BABA),i know he won’t yield to that nonchalant name,infact they killed him,he didn’t suffer any heart attack,we student know that he was poison in a meeting,OGA JOOOOO,we have not buried our VC,u already changed the name of his school,SHOFOLUWE won’t forgive you,this is a complete display of madness,i tell you oga jooo,you will be kidnapped soonest

  11. I dont think there is anything wrong in renaming the university to honour Abiola.We have so many universities that have been named after other people too.do u think it was easy for the students then to just accept the name and move forward?There is always a sacrifice for any development.Abiola sacrificed his life for democracy, so why cant we sacrifice just a change of name to honour him.As to whether abiola was a Lagosian?That is not usually a criteria for renaming a particular place.What of muritala mohammed international airport in Lagos, Nmandi Azikwe international airport in Abuja,Obafemi Awolowo university in Ile Ife and many others.I advice you students and others protesting to stop, safeguard yourselves and remember that u are there study and have ur certificate and not to fight over a mere name that will not bring additonal certificate for you.

  12. now i c that some nigerian students r visionless,selfish n lack understanding.i wonder y a university should b named after a hero n some foolish set of students so calld assu chairman r on protest..everyday we sing the national anthem ”the labor of our heros past shall neva b in vain” how do we reward these heros if we don’t acknowlegde them..i now c y nigerians still bhave like 3rd world countries..in USA washinton d c was name after geoge washinton…unizik was name after zik of africa…pls unilag students should b considerate.

  13. he is indeed a disgrace to all who voted him and once looked up to him as a role model.if he rilly wanted to sympatise with the nation for such a great lost of a past hero,couldn’t he had changed his name from G.E Jonathan to M.K.O Abiola or better still rename him after one of his universities. Am not sincerely sorry though, but our president is a jerk…….it is quiet understandable that our president do not know the significance of a name,he deosn’t know why everyone is given a name including God…..that is why he has made himself a badluck for we naija peeps.

  14. Jonathan is a very stupid dumbfellow,if renaming a hero is his problem,why not rename one of his child,We have a big problem on ground,τ̲̅ђe terrorism in τ̲̅ђe country,τ̲̅ђe country isn’t safe at all,maybe because he haven’t lost anyone so dear to him that is why he hasn’t look into τ̲̅ђe situation than renaming a great school,Unilag isn’t just a name it is our social identity,Our pride,Our name and it must stand,he had № shoe we gave him shoe he wanna macha our heads,dnt forget joooo u can’t bite τ̲̅ђe finger that fed u,EELLSSSEEEE

  15. Ebele you are really a waste not only to our great country Nigeria but also to West Africa If God had known dis is d way you’l repay those he used to put shoes on your feet He would’v left you to rot away in poverty. Pls leave our ICON University alone as UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS as changing its name will not solve d Boko Haram problem which has brought serious security threats shame & disgrace to our country globally dat u find difficult to address. Also electricity, water, good health & roads Niger Delta kidnappers(Yr State of Origin) corprate rouges in yr cabinet and many more are issues you should seriously address. President Jonathan listen to d voice of God “LET MY PEOPLE GO”.

  16. There is a governmental saying,i quote “Power intoxicateAbsolute power corrupt Absolutely” what Mr president did as really created a very wrong impression in the minds of the entire citizens of this great country concerning him. But then, re-naming a tatiary institution that has been in existence for 50yrs now to a heroic figure is not the issue or problem, the problem is doing it or carrying out the act without the consent or approval of those involved. remember it was a collaborated effort, so it should also be carried out or done collaborately. thank you.

  17. Permit me to react against the statement Izeyuwa made i quote “If God had known dis is d way you’i repay those he used to put shoes on your feets,he would have left you to rot in poverty” Oga who told you that God didn’t know, have you 4gotten that God is ALL KNOWING, he sees your end from your beginning. so he knew quiet well that Brother Jona will misbehave but like we know him(God) he gives every man the opportunity to lead just like king saul in the bible, so when you misbehave is all left for you to answer. i just believed that some inner carcus behind influenced his unbecoming actions. Thank you.

  18. Note that some “STRONG MEN” placed him up there, so expect same “STRONG MEN’ to decide or make decisions for him. A man of God once said that, ” IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE CHARACTER OF A MAN, GIVE HIM POWER’ it wont take long he will start displaying all those hidden traits. thank you.