Change Of Name: UNILAG Students Gather Signatures To Petition NASS

• Alumni Threaten Suit

STUDENTS of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have vowed to use all possible means to resist the change of name to Moshood Abiola University Lagos (MAULAG).

 Also, the Alumni association of the institution said it would go to court to seek redress over the issue.
In a chat with The Guardian yesterday, the chairman of Mariere Hall of the university, Mr. Samuel Ejiwunmi, said after an extensive meeting with the alumni body of the university, the students’ body is going ahead with a petition to the National Assembly rejecting the change of name.
According to him, “members of the National Assembly are representatives of the people and the students and alumni members of this university come from different constituencies, which is why we have opened a protest register, circulating round the hostels, for students to sign and endorse the protest.”
“After collation, it would be forwarded to the National Assembly for their consideration, just in case the president goes ahead by dispatching a proposal on the change of name to the chambers,” he said.
Informed that the move could be an exercise in futility, if the president went ahead and forwarded the proposal to the National Assembly, which, in turn, amended the Act establishing the university, Ejiwunmi said plans were also in the offing to head to court, as the final arbiter.
He disclosed that the students had decided to stop the protests on the streets, because “we realised that some unscrupulous elements have been making attempts to hijack the scenario.”
“After speaking to the university management, we concluded that we are going to stop the protest on the streets so hijackers would not create a name that is not peculiar to the University of Lagos,” he said.
Determined to resist the name change, a group of female students of the university on Friday threw decorum to the wind and went topless, flaunting their upper layers at their balconies to show their anger.
During a visit to the campus yesterday, the usual gathering of students at the main entrance of the institution was absent, neither were there roadblocks, and other activities, which were the norm in the last five days.
Although one of the two gates at the main entrance was locked, it was not by the protesting students, as the two gates at the second entrance were opened.
But to gain entry into the school during the early hours of Saturday was tedious, as a stern-looking security man was at the pedestrian entrance to check people going into the campus.
Many people were turned back who had no student identity cards on them or had no genuine business to do on campus.
Those allowed in were students going to pick their belongings in line with the management directives that all students should leave the hostel by noon on Friday, after the students refused to comply with an earlier order on Wednesday.
A release by the Information Unit of the university described those protesting as hoodlums parading themselves as students.
“The university authorities regret the inconveniences occasioned by the actions of some hoodlums, who are parading themselves as students of the university. Management wishes to inform all that the university is currently on break as directed by the senate,” the statement reads.
Attempts to get the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rahmon Bello, to comment on the situation were unsuccessful. His mobile number was not available on the University Directory like other members of staff.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Babatunde Alo, declined comment, saying he was not the Acting Vice-Chancellor. The official at the Information Unit said the Acting VC does not usually spend weekends on campus. “So, he is presently not available for comment.”
In most of the hostels, there were still students though many of them were seen moving out, especially females. Those who spoke said they were leaving because apart from the management’s order requesting that they leave, they were being frustrated as utilities, such as electricity and water supply to the hostels, had been stopped.
In a telephone chat, the National President of the University of Lagos Alumni Association, Prof. Olaide Abass, said that the body would go to court to challenge the president’s action.
“We have to test it in court. Why do we have a Faculty of Law that has produced over 20,000 lawyers? Do you mean we should just keep quiet? We are going to court, but I do not know when.
“Let me tell you; we have all legal options on the table, they are too numerous; we have so many options on our table and they are all legal and lawful,” he said.
Citing an example in England, he said: “Look at what is going on now; they want to name a building after the Queen of England. This is a queen that has served them for 60 years. The Parliament is debating naming a building after her; is that not democracy at work?
“This fight involves playing our part in sustaining this democracy. The Visitor does not own the university; his role is limited in the Act,” he said.
However, the National President of the National Congress of Nigerian Students (NACONS) and a Law student of the University of Ilorin, Abdulsalam Abdulfatai, said changing of the name of a university should not the headache of students.
“As a body, we would not open our eyes and see the quality of education being trampled on. Changing of name is the least of our challenges, particularly to honour such a man as Abiola,” he said.
Asked if the president had committed any procedural error with his Democracy Day announcement, Abdulfatai said the president, as Commander-in-Chief, has made a statement, and “all processes leading to its actualisation will follow in due course. What is important is the presidential proclamation,” he said.
“We were all witness to the president’s broadcast during the subsidy protest announcing the reduction of all executive allowances by 25 percent; it, however, took more than three months of bureaucratic bottlenecks for the order to be effected.
“The same thing happened to the University of Ife when it was renamed Obafemi Awolowo University. People protested but at the end of the day, OAU stayed.”
Noting that, “it has taken so long over 19 years for the Federal Government to realise the sacrifice Abiola made for this country,” Abdulfatai cautioned that, “if this move is truncated in the 13th year of our unbroken democracy, it might take another generation to remember this great man.”
“And who knows, maybe no government will be willing to take it on again,” he said.