Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s decision to rename the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in honour of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Sowore, founder of the #RevolutionNow movement and flagbearer of the African Action Congress (AAC) in previous elections, voiced his strong opposition in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.

 “I vehemently oppose renaming the great University of Maiduguri in honor of Muhammadu Buhari. I trust that the students and alumni of the prestigious UNIMAID will reject the decision,” he stated.

The renaming was announced by President Tinubu during an expanded Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, July 17, 2025, just four days after Buhari's death.

Founded in 1975, the University of Maiduguri is a prominent federal institution renowned for academic excellence and resilience, particularly in the face of security threats in Nigeria’s North-East region.

The decision to rename the institution has triggered widespread criticism across social media and among alumni, stakeholders, and even supporters of the late Buhari.

One of Buhari’s known admirers, Ibn Maigana, voiced disapproval on Facebook, urging the Tinubu administration to reconsider the move.

 “...This decision, as others suggest, I equally wish the President would reconsider—renaming the institution,” Maigana wrote.

Former Senator Shehu Sani also weighed in, cautioning against the trend of naming educational institutions after political figures.

 “One day all our Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education would be named after someone; when exhausted, then two people will be sharing one,” he warned.

Additionally, a group known as Concerned UNIMAID Alumni Association/Friends of UNIMAID issued a statement rejecting the renaming, describing it as unnecessary and politically motivated.

Late President Muhammadu Buhari passed away on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in London after a prolonged illness. He was buried on Tuesday in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State, in line with Islamic rites.

President Tinubu’s decision remains a deeply divisive issue, with calls for wider consultation and respect for institutional heritage growing louder.