RIOTS BREAK OUT IN RESPONSE TO UNILAG RENAMING

by KMG 07:53 0 Leave a comment

Students of the University of Lagos have ,Tuesday morning, embarked on a protest against the renaming of the school by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Jonathan had in a nationwide broadcast renamed the University of Lagos as Moshood Abiola University in honour of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the late Chief MKO Abiola.
Students marched out of their hostels and gathered at the Yabatech junction from where they moved round the school chanting protests songs denouncing the name change of the school.
Vanguard gathered that the students were carrying placcards with inscriptions: Reverse or Resign, UNILAG cant be called MAU! etc.
The students blocked all access roads to the school causing heavy traffic on the University of Lagos Road as well as St. Finbarrs’ College Road.

the speech read: ".....It is also in this regard that the Federal Government has decided that late Chief M.K.O. Abiola  be honoured, for making the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of justice and truth. Destiny and circumstances conspired to place upon his shoulders a historic burden, and he rose to the occasion with character and courage. He deserves recognition for his martyrdom, and public-spiritedness and for being the man of history that he was.  We need in our land, more men and women who will stand up to defend their beliefs, and whose example will further enrich our democracy. After very careful consideration, and
in honour of Chief M.K.O. Abiola’s accomplishments and heroism, on this Democracy Day, the University of Lagos, is renamed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, Moshood Abiola University, Lagos. The Federal Government will also establish an Institute of Democratic Studies and Governance in the University."

youth blocking the 3rd mainland bridge

UPDATE - Quote:

www.saharareporters.com

"President Jonathan needs to fire all of his advisers and hire new ones. It is unacceptable to continue to fumble in all aspects governance after more than one year as president. How can a president wake up one morning and declare a university's name changed overnight, without consultation with the institution's leadership and its students' union leadership? 
"The president's media advisers are incompetent and immature. Even when he means well, his delivery is always primitive and offensive. If he had a capable media team, it would be a different ball game. Let us hope that this does not lead to something uglier".  - Nebukadineze Adiele

Further more this came up on bbm

Dear Alumni,

You must have heard of GEJ's idea of renaming our dear University of Lagos. The name change is preposterous! I disagree with the whole concept in its entirety.

If the PDP government are looking for a way to claim the South-West during the next elections, they should endeavour to find other means and stop trying to rubbish the name of our alma mater.

While we believe MKO Abiola is deserving of honour, we believe it should not be like this. Why not rename the National Stadium in Abuja or the National Hospital? University of Lagos is a distinguished institution that has become a BRAND NAME worldwide. You don't want to mess with brand names.

I, Dr Olamiju, do hereby join the hundreds of thousands of people who have had something to do with UNILAG via International School, Lagos; Undergraduate or Postgraduate Courses etc to call for a reversal of the proposed name change.

There is an online petition that has already been signed by many people calling for the reversal.

You can goto http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/referendum-against-unilag-change.html and join the call.

Signed

Dr Henry Olamiju.

Waow this is really pickig up heat... more as it unfolds