Alumni rejects change of name

The National Executive Committee of the University of Lagos Alumni Association yesterday rejected the renaming of their university after the late M.K.O. Abiola.

The association in a statement said: “The students and the entire University Community reject the shocking announcement by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan during his democracy day address renaming the University of Lagos as Moshood Abiola University. 

“The University of Lagos is the first University to be established by an Act of Federal Parliament in 1962 and has built a strong brand name in its 50 years. That is why it is the University of first choice and the nation’s pride. We expect that any change in name should have taken stakeholders interest into consideration and followed due process. We are aware that  neither the Governing Council nor the University Senate nor any other stakeholder was consulted before the change was announced.

“Also, we are not aware of any act of the National Assembly to change the Name. It is therefore inappropriate that Mr. President will attempt to change the name of a 50 year-old without his consent. Did Abiola himself not say ‘you cannot shave a man’s head in his absence?’

“Without prejudice to the person of Late Chief MKO Abiola, we the Alumni Association on behalf of the entire University Community reject the name as announced.”