Students of Unilag sue President Jonathan
The Democracy day broadcast by President Jonathan presented the avenue to announce the change of the Univesity of Lagos (UNILAG) to Moshood Abiola University which has resulted into series of protests by students of the Institution since it was announced.
Some students of University of Lagos, UNILAG, now, Moshood Abiola University have however dragged President Goodluck Jonathan before a Federal High Court in Lagos for renaming the university.
The case is before Justice Mohammed Liman. Hearing of the matter has been fixed for July 10, 2012.
In the originating summons, the students, numbering 10, are seeking for a declaration that the University of Lagos being a creation of an act of the National Assembly, cannot be governed except in accordance with the provisions of the University of Lagos Act, 1967.
The students are seeking a declaration that power to change or amend the name of University of Lagos, being a corporate body having perpetual succession with common seal as provided under the University of Lagos Act 1967(as amended), belongs to the National Assembly.
They have sought the court’s order declaring that the announcement contained in the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s May 29, 2012 broadcast changing the name of University of Lagos to Moshood Abiola University, is unconstitutional, ultra vires, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
The students put forward two questions before the court for determination which are: whether the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his capacity as the visitor to University of Lagos has the power under the University of Lagos Act, 1967, to unilaterally change the name of the institution to Moshood Abiola University.
“Whether the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the exercise of the executive powers of the federation vested in him in Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria can unilaterally change the name of University of Lagos without recourse to the National Assembly.”
In an 11-paragraph affidavit in support of the originating summons deposed to by one of the students, Sunday Asaolu, of the institution’s Faculty of Law, it was averred that the unilateral change of the name of the University of Lagos sent great alarm and panic to the entire community of the institution.
Besides, it was stated that the alarm and panic generated led to spontaneous protests.
Asaolu further averred that the protests had led to the suspension of all academic activities and the sending home of the students with its attendant costs to all the students.
The students who filed the suit are Sunday Asaolu, Julius Ayoola, Idowu Odumosu, Seyi Olowu and Oladapo Obasa.
Others are Idowu Awopeju, Adebanjo Sunday, Femi Omotosho, Segun Ogunjobi and Aiyelabola
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Nigeria is a Nation where no one cares to respect the President anymore! I dont blame them.
ReplyDeleteWhat a Pity!
I wonder if he actually has a PHD, did he earn it?
If YES, from where?
From California, US
This is totally nonsense
ReplyDeletewhat is changing of name got to do with your Academy for crying out loud
You no longer have respect for ur President which is very bad and u call urself leaders of tomorow.
Am very sure someone out there Ȋ̝̊̅§ sponsoring these guys. To be forewarned Ȋ̝̊̅§ to be fore armed don't play political thug to politicians,they are self interest seeker,they don't mean well 4u, so be warn b4 Ÿ̲̣̣̣̥ø̲̣̣̥u̶̲̥̅̊ constitute yourselves as western gbogbo haram
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame! What is in changing the name of an institution. Student of nowadays don't want to go to school anymore. Some even say if the name is changed to fela anikulapo that it is better. God save us in this country.
ReplyDeleteWhy will the president change the name.this is not rule of law,in nigeria,people wake up and take laws into their hands'thanks to the few student that stood their right.
ReplyDeleteIf there will be more people like you, then Nigeria will be better.no one is above the law.the president should follow the constitution.wake up Nigerians pls
This is a welcome development for democracy in Nigeria. There is so much that needs to be contested in a court of law like the legal implications of having a federally exclusive Senate and the stipulated circumstances under which a democratically elected Nigerian President is to use his presidential fiat powers.
ReplyDeleteInteresting development ....
ReplyDeleteIt's high time the youth take logical steps to reveal our intent on been credible leaders of tomorrow...
Right step In the right direction...
What is a country without History?
University of Lagos is an embodiment of INTELLECT, recognized world wide for its Ambidextrous minded graduates equipped with both Theorectical and vast among of Practical Enthusiasm, traits unique to Only GREATEST AKOKITES....
HARVEY DENT...
It is a pity that democracy as a matter of fact, its now causing some people not to know and respect both their leaders and elders,what you dont respect you dont attract,am sure this so-called students may want to be leaders tommorrow and at sametime wants people to respect them,why cant you people sue the corrupt leaders of this country if your so good in your legal studies? why cant you lead a protest for the level of corruption going on in Nigeria? what has change of name to do with your intellectual and academic attainment?most of us went to public schools yet more often than not we had done far better than private school graduates, what matters is what you have in your brain and not the name of the schools after all there are also many fools that are graduates from the so-called UNILAG, why not be sensible for awhile and give a promising step that this nation actually have leaders of tomorrow
ReplyDeleteI think Unilag is Federal University and the Federal Govt is in full control of its activities. Please whoever is behind these students should please have a recourse.
ReplyDeletedis student are fghting a lost battle
ReplyDeleteThe President should indeed be a President by doing the right thing at all times with broad level consultation;What sense exit in changing the name of a 50-year old institution without consulting with the leadership of that institution?
ReplyDeleteThis indeed is shameful and is a reflection of how we run things in this part of the world.-fred
It is sad reading some of d above comments. Why change of name when there many good acts to be done. If d president want to proclaim his love for 'democracy', he should exercise his power where most needed and stop causing interruptions in innocent students' institution.
ReplyDeleteWhy change of name, why not a giant stride to profess love of democracy. The earlier we learn to build new structures not renaming, renaming, d better our chances of moving ahead with other growing nations.
ReplyDeletewhether change of name or not,Most of the people rioting are not sure of graduating with 2.2.
ReplyDeleteGreatest Akokites!!!
ReplyDeletegosh!!!!!!!!!! we have so many illiterates in this country.........i believe those people that say there's nothing wrong in a change of name are either pepper sellers or local herbs hawkers........they should just face what they are selling if they dont have better things to say.....i think you guys should go and look the Nigerian Constitution and read it.
ReplyDelete.....this is not about respecting your elders or leaders. after all, they say respect is given to whom it is dew. the president should have thought of that before changing the name of the institution without any notice. for crying out loud people, this is democracy and not a military regime, the people should also be respected and have their say. university students or not.
ReplyDeletei completely support that these students took the leap a least, to fight for their right. although we all know that it will lead no where because of the messed up system we have in Nigeria.
Ade...
this is not about respecting your elders or leaders. after all, they say respect is given to whom it is dew. the president should have thought of that before changing the name of the institution without any notice. for crying out loud people, this is democracy and not a military regime, the people should also be respected and have their say. university students or not.
ReplyDeletei completely support that this students took the leap a least to fight for their right. although we all know that it will lead no where because of the messed up system we have in Nigeria.
Ade...
this is not about respecting your elders or leaders. after all, they say respect is given to whom it is dew. the president should have thought of that before changing the name of the institution without any notice. for crying out loud people, this is democracy and not a military regime, the people should also be respected and have their say. university students or not.
ReplyDeletei completely support that this students took the leap a least to fight for their right. although we all know that it will lead no where because of the messed up system we have in Nigeria.
Ade...
the president is human, just like everyone else, so he should faced the law and give vital and cogent reasons for changing the name of the institution. besides the name he gave the school was nothin to compare with its present name. being a president does not give you rights to trample on our rights without going through the appropriate processes laid down in the country. if the president can do so without being corrected, then any other politician might(one day). thats why our country is still developing since all these years becos many of our so called HEAD are not dong the right thing and are later imitated by the new generation. May God Revive the nigeria
ReplyDeleteWhat is much more important a degrading trademark (UNILAG) or students knowing what they are doing in school. I will not be suprised if JAMBITES dont enroll in the school in huge number as usual, its just a brand name. The students should show that there is content in the container. People will still buy a product if the content is ok(though may take time).
ReplyDeletedid their lawyer border to know that before they can sue they must establish that they have a special interest that they have suffer above all other students that are majority and no part of the suit?
ReplyDeletehaving an interest is different from have an affected interest above that of others
Abiola has never been an academician,besides is their any correlation between Abiola in his days with UNILAG or was his struggle in connection with UNILAG,all we knew he was a Politician.South Africa was never rename after Mandela neither the University of South Africa after him.So the Government should have known they have passed their boundary and my advice to them is that they should build an edifice or an Air-port and name it after him..Not a learning centre where minds are build and thought are well sharpen.........
ReplyDeleteNelson..............
Too much respect for leaders is what has brought Nigeria to this sorry condition. Only an idiot follows a leader who is leading him into the gutter, out of respect.
ReplyDeleteIf Nigerians challenge their leaders on the little things (where principles are violated,) those leaders will not even dream of doing the big things which they know to be wrong.
The laws of Nigeria demand greater respect than any individual whether President or student. The students are 100% correct to demand legal clarification as to the powers of the President. My judgement (without having read the Universities Act) is that he doesn't. Just as Obj had to seek legislative assent to change the name of PHCN.
University of Lagos is a national asset, not a personal asset of the President. Respect due or not.
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
ReplyDeleteBy any other name would smell as sweet."-shakespare(romeo and juliet)
i wonder if the so-called UNILAG students ever sat for jamb, i mean do they have a thinking faculty? it is a shame to see fellow nigerian students protesting over SWAGG and not unemployment, ill equipped schools or lack of prosecution of those who killed abiola! the only thing the name UNILAG has , that is lacking in the name moshood abiola university is SWAGG..
better face your books and hope that one day you would become a national figure like abiola
y'all speak of justice and due process, if there was any in Nigeria 90% of you UNILAG students wouldnt have smelt the walls of a university. bcos with this low level thinking faculty of your's it is clear that y'all bribed your way into the university.
ReplyDeleteis UNILAG the first school to be renamed? what is it that the name UNILAG used to do 4 them that MAULAG doesn't? does renaming reduce the standard of education?
if you dont like the name drop out of school, the school is the property of the FG and not the students. mind you the FG can choose to close the school indefinitely(they can say they do not have sufficient funds to run it anymore) and no court in the world will stop them because they dont need a legislation to .