Tinubu Leads Federal Honour Roll, Renames UNIMAID and More After Buhari

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the renaming of the University of Maiduguri in honour of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, cementing the former leader’s legacy in the heart of Borno State. This decision was reached during a special session of the Federal Executive Council held at the Presidential Villa, where Tinubu described the gesture as a tribute to Buhari’s national service and unwavering commitment to the country’s development.

According to iReporter Online, this latest honour is part of a broader recognition initiative, as several prominent public assets in Borno State had previously been named after the former president. The University of Maiduguri’s main administrative structure, its Senate Building—constructed by TETFund and inaugurated in 2018—had already borne Buhari’s name. Additionally, the Muhammadu Buhari Trauma Centre, a 150-bed capacity facility within the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, was virtually commissioned by the late president during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Further solidifying his legacy in the region, the Muhammadu Buhari Academy, a large boarding school for children orphaned by insurgency, was established in Maiduguri. This educational institution was initiated by then-Governor Kashim Shettima and completed by his successor, Babagana Zulum, in recognition of Buhari’s role in tackling terrorism in the Northeast. The academy, with 60 classrooms and residential hostels, has become a symbol of resilience and recovery.

According to iReporter Online, Buhari’s name also graces the General Muhammadu Buhari International Airport in Maiduguri. The renaming was among several airport rebrands carried out nationwide in 2023 through a Federal Ministry of Aviation directive. Airports in states like Akure, Benin, and Port Harcourt were similarly renamed to honour notable Nigerian figures.

The University of Maiduguri, now to be officially recognized as Muhammadu Buhari University, was originally established in 1975 as part of the country’s Third National Development Plan. It has since evolved into a major academic hub, expanding from three faculties in its inaugural session to six by 1978.

President Tinubu, during the FEC meeting, reaffirmed that renaming the university is part of deliberate efforts to immortalize Buhari’s legacy and the values he represented. According to iReporter Online, the move has been widely praised across political lines in Borno and beyond as a well-deserved tribute to a leader whose tenure left indelible marks on the region’s educational and infrastructural development.