Jonathan should’ve consulted on UNILAG – Gowon

Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, insists that the protests over the renaming of University of Lagos after the late Chief Moshood Abiola could have been avoided if President Goodluck Jonathan had consulted widely.

In his nationwide broadcast on May 29, Jonathan said the government decided to honour Abiola, believed to be the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, by naming UNILAG after him for his contribution to democracy in the country.

However, the government immediately came under intense criticism, with the students of the university embarking on street demonstrations.

But speaking in Benin on Tuesday, Gowon regretted the aftermath of the name change, saying the protests could have been avoided.

He said, “The University of Ife was changed to Obafemi Awolowo University; now that University of Lagos is now changed to Abiola University, it would have been better for President Goodluck Jonathan to have consulted with old students of the university before renaming it to Abiola University.

“I honestly do not want to comment on that one. I’m sure that anyone who has gone to UNILAG, ask them how they feel about the change and I know that I know that a lot of students who went to University of Ife, when it was changed to Awolowo University, if you asked them if they want the change to Awolowo University, they will say no. So, that is the feeling.

“I think probably all the people who are involved in making that decision should have consulted all those people before making that decision. It is very important.”

The R3tardeen probably only consulted his wife Dame a night before.

Thank you Gowon !!! Please educate this goons

This buffoon who is well know for reneging on agreements should stfu, who does he think he is! GEJ is the GCFR, no gowon!

Well they wanted to make it a surprise package, thinking majority will buy it and praise him for it.

Sycophants like Beaf will now keep quiet. Can't GEJ get things right for owns?

OAM4J: Well they wanted to make it a surprise package, thinking majority will buy it and praise him for it.

If that is the case, they are mumus united then.

The name change was a dumb move in the first place; the school had built up enormous goodwill on the 'Unilag/University of Lagos' brand, now they are being asked to build a new brand from scratch pointlessly. Pointlessly as Abiola could have been honoured in another even more befitting way.

Second, the 'surprise' approach is enormously incompetent and ignorant of managerial and legal proprieties. How could you not think it necessary to consult the University leadership first or to go through the proper legal machinery for changing the name?