Nigerians will decide UNILAG’s name change, says senator

As the controversy over the renaming of the University of Lagos continues, 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, Gbenga Ashafa, said this in Lagos yesterday at a news conference to mark his one year in the Senate.

Ashafa said the late Abiola deserved the highest honour in the land because of his contributions to democracy.

He said: “Chief M. K. O. Abiola deserves all the honour; 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 is insensitive when the remains late vice-chancellor of the institution have not been buried. I wonder why the Federal Government had to do such a controversial thing in a university environment.

“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 the 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.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/48553-nigerians-will-decide-unilag%E2%80%99s-name-change%2C-says-senator.html

“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."

My point exactly!

Ehen, I talk sey Ebele hoenatan doesn't knw his job. A sheer case of misplace priorites.....

Unilag and Abiola are not mutually exclusive- we can have both.Leave the 0ver 50 year old brand alone and lets pick another nameless but eminent institutions like the conference center or the stadium in Abuja or we can make jun 12 democracy day.
I expect the house to shoot this down.
He has succeeded in piling up another negative publicity unecessarily,his action reverberated beyond the school alumni and the current students.Lovers of that name are disgusted too.

"MANY MONUMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO HIS MEMORY" dumb statement....so nigeria is xisting bcoz of MKO abi? Havent we dedicated enuf? All we do is recycle old shit!!

Anyone who believes that GEJ unilaterally decided to rename unilag without consulting with his legal team, made up of some of the brightest SANs in the country, is delusional. Legal issues are seldom black or white. Besides, the customary payoff of sinators, by GEJ, will render them ineffective at overturning the renaming. Unfortunately, this is how the game is played in Abuja.

Senator Ashafa:
The Senate and the House of Representatives will look at it critically. After the 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.

You believe too much in this bumbling i.diot. They are infantile. By the way I like the guy GEJ.

ndu_chucks: Anyone who believes that GEJ unilaterally decided to rename unilag without consulting with his legal team, made up of some of the brightest SANs in the country, is delusional. Legal issues are seldom black or white. Besides, the customary payoff of sinators, by GEJ, will render them ineffective at overturning the renaming. Unfortunately, this is how the game is played in Abuja.

You don't flog a dead horse

Make June 12 + Abiola's birthday + The day Kudirat was assassinated PUBLIC HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!

chuks49: You don't flog a dead horse

Ha UNILAG. Too many haters. You are truely #1.

Lets not decieve ourselves, the name can neva be changed, the president of d country has announced his decision and he will never want to loose his credibility on this issue...

Adehwale: Lets not decieve ourselves, the name can neva be changed, the president of d country has announced his decision and he will never want to loose his credibility on this issue...

Your horizon on life, history and humanity is very narrow. Nobody ever thought the Soviet Union will disintegrate during the cold war. Congo went to Zaire and back to Congo. The name will never stand as long as those that are direct stake holders do not accept it. By the way 3rd mainland bridge is Ibrahim Babangida Bridge. How is that working out for you? Most of the decisions of the last 50 years of misrule will be overturned by future generations. They will wonder why and how we tolerated these absurd behaviours. This whole period will be looked at as the years of locust.

jerseyboy:
Ha UNILAG. Too many haters. You are truely #1.

When the protests and hullabaloo dies down, we all return to our usual routines as UNILAG is confined to the dustbin of history.

Gej is trying to divide the yorubas by this so called honour of MKO.The wise ones would know what he is up to.He is already preparing for 2015.

jerseyboy:

Your horizon on life, history and humanity is very narrow. Nobody ever thought the Soviet Union will disintegrate during the cold war. Congo went to Zaire and back to Congo. The name will never stand as long as those that are direct stake holders do not accept it. By the way 3rd mainland bridge is Ibrahim Babangida Bridge. How is that working out for you? Most of the decisions of the last 50 years of misrule will be overturned by future generations. This whole period will be looked at as the years of locust.

And you honestly think that a future government will want to reverse this honour given to MKO.

Adehwale: Lets not decieve ourselves, the name can neva be changed, the president of d country has announced his decision and he will never want to loose his credibility on this issue...

like he ever had any

Adehwale: Lets not decieve ourselves, the name can neva be changed, the president of d country has announced his decision and he will never want to loose his credibility on this issue...

gbam

chuks49:

And you honestly think that a future government will want to reverse this honour given to MKO.

reversing actions/decisions of predicessors is not new to Nigerians

aguiyi:

like he ever had any

NO MIND THAT ONE...MTCHEWWWW!

chuks49:

And you honestly think that a future government will want to reverse this honour given to MKO.

You are not a student of history. History can be very dispassionate. It will see Abiola, IBB, Abacha etc for what they truly are. Charlatans. What history will debate is why we tolerated these years of misrule.

STORY

Lets not decieve ourselves, the name can neva be changed, the president of d country has announced his decision and he will never want to loose his credibility on this issue...

what a dumb statement from a dumb person. Have you forgotten that jonathan banned super eagles from international football few years ago, but same jonathan as the head of a country was forced to his knees by mere Sepp Blatter command to unban super eagles?

Silva79: "MANY MONUMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO HIS MEMORY" dumb statement....so nigeria is xisting bcoz of MKO abi? Havent we dedicated enuf? All we do is recycle old shit!!

dumbasz she-goat!

This guy not only looks like a mo[i]r[/i]on in real life,he always vindicates those that see him as such with his innane public comments.The grandmaster of land fraud in Lagos.

Pray tell,those that re-named the school,are they from Ghana or Togo?

Also,such daft comments give credence to the allegation by Lagos PDP that the protest by students of MAULAG was sponsored by ACN

jerseyboy:
You are not a student of history. History can be very dispassionate. It will see Abiola, IBB, Abacha etc for what they truly are. Charlatans. What history will debate is why we tolerated these years of misrule.

gbam!

Baba_O:
what a dumb statement from a dumb person. Have you forgotten that jonathan banned super eagles from international football few years ago, but same jonathan as the head of a country was forced to his knees by mere Sepp Blatter command to unban super eagles?

i think you're d dumbest here, blatter is the president of anythin football, he has d say..what your country's president needed do is give them d support needed...blatter can ban or unban, anytime! He's d president of football...but d case of reversing his pronouncement...that will be if he wishes. Has anybody never heard of an executive decision? Get d constitution and read, please!

aguiyi:

reversing actions/decisions of predicessors is not new to Nigerians

Thats is why continunity suffers greatly in the hands of selfish politicians. I don't believe GEJ wokeup and renamed Unilag. The entirety of June 12 centred much on Lagos. People should stop being political and tribalistic about issues concerning Nigeria and funny reasons unrelated to studies, one of it is why people here are crazy about certificates without allowing education go through them towards targeted productivity and common sense.

i don't know why some people don't think with their head. Those in support of this name change are being sentimental. Why is it only @the students they keep calling. What about the lecturers, staff, alumni and parent association that are all vehemently against it? Does it mean that they are all stupid? Answers please!

yuzedo: Make June 12 + Abiola's birthday + The day Kudirat was assassinated PUBLIC HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!

This is funny.

OAM4J:

My point exactly!

on point.........

I SMH at the Senator's comment where he said Nigerians will decide the change of name and I ask myself when has Nigerians ever decided anything in this Nation and it stood, is it the fuel subsidy saga or increase in electricity tariff or our votes? So this man should just keep quiet.

Lets_wait&see_the_outcome_of__NATIONALASSEMBLY_debate_on_MAULAG/UNILAG_case.I_still_believe_in_Unilag.