6th June, 2012
Senator Gbenga Ashafa has described the renaming of University of Lagos to Moshood Abiola University as ill-timed.
He explained that Nigerians, through their representatives in both chambers of the National Assembly, will take the final decision on the fate of the higher institution. The senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, disclosed this at a news conference to mark his one year in the Senate.
“Chief M. K. O. Abiola deserves all the honours, in fact, not only one institution should have been named after him, many monuments should have been dedicated to his memory. The Federal Government’s gesture is rather late, it should have come long before now.
“The timing of the announcement was bad because this is the period when the remains of the late vice-chancellor of the institution were about to be buried. I wonder why the Federal Government should take such a controversial decision in a university environment at that period.
“The Federal Government did not go through due process because UNILAG was established by an Act of Parliament. The proposal should have come to the National Assembly and it should have been properly debated and approved before the announcement by the President.
“The Senate and the House of Representatives will look at it critically. After due process might have been complied with, it may still be the same UNILAG or the University of Abuja or even the National Stadium that will be named after Chief M. K. O. Abiola. Nigerians will have their say when the issue is tabled before the National Assembly.”
The senator appealed to students of the institution not to be violent and destructive in their protests.