Row over varsity is typical MKO

Nigerians should not be deceived by the false impression that majority of the country or even South Westerners are against the honour President Goodluck Jonathan conferred on Bashorun MKO Abiola by naming the University of Lagos after the deceased. 

Unfortunately for these attention-seekers, they are, this time, standing on their heads, with majority rational minds wondering at the strange spectacle. 
 

N.B Visit www.campusflava.com for updates and information related to other schools.

At one moment, the country was virtually turned upside down against a deserved honour being denied MKO Abiola and when eventually, Goodluck Jonathan granted such national demand, especially on a higher scale, the same agitators rose against the honour.

Quite a few – the Yakubu Gowons, the Gamaliel Onosodes, and even the protesting undergraduates of Moshood Abiola University of Lagos – stand out for their innocence and sincerity. But that will still not justify any semblance of controversy over the new name of Moshood Abiola University. If, however, there is any such controversy, it is the type over which genuine sympathizers of MKO Abiola should lose no sleep.

If, in his lifetime, MKO Abiola were to speak on the issue, while seated, full of life and knocking his two knees, he would confidently assure that “there is no controversy and if there is any, take it that controversy is my middle name. Don’t mind them, they are envious. This honour is already secure in my pocket.” And surely, the man was always vindicated on such matters.

By the way, here is a note of caution for Goodluck Jonathan and police authorities. It is human to protest, even on the streets, against any issue unacceptable to the protesters, and that is even guaranteed under Nigerian constitution. The protest of the students of Moshood Abiola University of Lagos against the change in the name of their institution should be seen in that light. 

All the police authorities have to do as in civilized societies is to guide the students along their chosen routes so that anarchists do not hijack the protests.

Similarly, other Nigerians who support the new name of Moshood Abiola University have the constitutional right to demonstrate in opposition to the opponents of the new name. It is the duty of the police to also guide such supporters along their preferred routes as long as the two opposing sides do not clash. 

As the law courts have decided, police authorities have no power to insist on their permit prior to such protests/demonstrations. At the end of the day, if allowed to express their feelings peacefully, both sides will end up good-humored.

The government cannot afford to open a new front of security challenge or precisely violence by suppressing the rights of students to demonstrate or protest.

Virtually, all reasons preferred by the June 12 hypocrites for their opposition to the new name of Moshood Abiola University are merely convenient, untenable and amusing. The first of such is that Goodluck Jonathan did not follow the procedure. Should that be a valid reason for withdrawing the honour done to Bashorun Abiola? There are surely other reasons for insisting on or even suggesting such.

What is more, the man who should know, Professor Julius Okojie, Secretary of National Universities Commission, (has) revealed that President Jonathan and Minister of Education, Prof Ruquayyat Rufai, duly consulted. What might have happened and quite rightly so, the consultations were limited. Only Somalians or Bourkinabes, that is non- Nigerians would not appreciate reasons for such tactics. 

The moment Goodluck Jonathan decided on wide-ranging consultations, publicity-seeking anarchists among June 12 hypocrites would head for the law courts to obtain notorious black market injunction restraining the honour conferred on MKO Abiola.

And as a mark of the duplicity, another gang of the June 12 hypocrites would then turn round to doubt Goodluck Jonathan’s sincerity in planning to honour MKO Abiola or why did he (Jonathan) have to leak it to anybody in the first place? Nigerians? Meanwhile, the injunction granted against honouring MKO Abiola would  eventually become perpetual and the deceased would remain unhonoured.

If the argument is unnecessarily stretched through some legalistic monstrosity, the fact remains that the authorities of Moshood Abiola University, Lagos are employees of the Federal Government which effected the change in the name of the institution. 

Where there are irreconcilable  differences on such an issue, the employer is supreme. Even till now, the June 12 hypocrites mounting rostrum every year continue to concede that MKO Abiola sacrificed his life for the evolution of democracy in Nigeria. Is it then such a big deal that the name of an educational institution be sacrificed for the eternal memory of the same MKO Abiola?

The choice of an institution in Lagos or even South-West can never diminish the national standing of MKO Abiola to be so honoured. Instead, this and future generations of Nigerians will always be aware of the origin and significance of the name as Moshood Abiola University of Lagos. Today, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife is a brand of the old University of Ife. 

Has that necessarily diminished Awolowo’s national standing? The claim that Moshood Abiola University, Lagos as the first choice of the average potential undergraduate is even the more reason as the most fitting monument for MKO Abiola’s immortal memory.

Incidentally, we must remember Obafemi Awolowo. According to him, every Nigerian is first from a clan, in a village, at a ward of a local government in a state (old region) to emerge a citizen. By that submission, MKO Abiola was born among his clan at Gbagura, Egbaland, Ogun State and developed into a Nigerian citizen. 

He would not, on that account, reject the honour of an institution in South-West being named after him. In this matter, there is the overzealousness of those the Yoruba refer to as “b’eleja yan,” (unsolicited fish smokers). Can these hypocrites be more concerned about MKO Abiola’s national image than Abiola’s family’s desire for the eternal memory of their progenitor? 

While the hypocrites were out there faulting the honour conferred on MKO Abiola to be remembered for life, the entire family of the same Bashorun Abiola – his widows, his offspring and siblings – not only accepted the honour done their family but also wrote a letter of appreciation to President Jonathan Goodluck. That is the end of the matter.

However, next Tuesday is another June 12, the hope of the hypocrites to gather and grandstand, all to deceive Nigerians of their love for MKO Abiola. Hence, their demand that the honour done for MKO be rescinded for anything but realistic. One thing is certain. In their annual self-promoting jamboree this time, no member of MKO Abiola’s will likely dignify the opportunists, who  should be derided for their illusion.

As against next Tuesday, another June 12, if the hypocrites have the guts to gather for their ritual, MKO Abiola’s family have made it clear that only they can decide to accept or reject what honour for their late father or how the man should be honoured. 

The question of a substitute university to be named after MKO Abiola does not therefore arise. Indeed, if such an action had been taken in the first place or even now in response to the critics, the same fellows would have accused Jonathan of naming an obscure institution deliberately to humiliate MKO Abiola.

Imagine this other criticism. It will cost Moshood Abiola University hundreds of millions if not billions of naira to change the institution’s structure and emblems to reflect its new name. 

So what? But in truth, it cannot cost as much unless, of course, the academic community have joined public office holders and civil servants in the looting spree of public funds. If on the other hand, it will truly cost as much, is that not money really spent rather than the trillions of naira defrauded in the name of oil subsidy that never was, or police pension, police equipment fund or public pension scheme or the stock exchange scam, all for which the culprits are bluffing round the country?

What prospect does this have for realism? Some June 12 hypocrites dismissed Goodluck Jonathan’s honour for MKO Abiola with the option that only restoration of the June 12 mandate will suffice. At the early stage of the crisis over 18 years ago, that might be the only imperative. But if these same forces of hypocrisy felt so committed, why did they compromise for new elections in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011?

For God’s sake, after such elections, how could hypocrites demanding restoration of June 12 mandate be taken seriously? Were June 12 mandate inevitable for the future, why did the confusionists take part in the elections to enable their men become ministers, state governors, senators, members of state and federal houses of representatives? 

In law and logic, once you embrace the subject of (especially legal) challenge, you lose all right therein, specifically, insisting on June 12 mandate.

Specifically, on the prospects of reality of regaining the June 12 mandate or otherwise as the only condition of honouring MKO Abiola, Yoruba put it best with an adage. When everybody is contributing five naira flat to a cause, he offers to contribute five hundred naira. 

When asked to honour his pledge, he defers for at least a month. Surely, such a fellow is not serious. These are the agitators against the honour conferred on MKO Abiola, the very same opponents, who throughout his campaigns for the elections either never supported MKO Abiola or openly opposed him.

Hence their claim that because Goodluck Jonathan did not follow the procedure in naming the university after MKO Abiola, the honour should be revoked. Fortunately, the government has maintained its decision on Moshood Abiola University. If by error of commission or omission, the procedure was not followed, all a genuine critic will demand is to REGULARISE the procedure and not to deny MKO Abiola his honour.

National Stadium to be named after MKO Abiola instead? That is past history predating Goodluck Jonathan by at least eight years if not longer. Jonathan then offered a higher honour for Abiola. That one we accept. You don’t grudge if your lot improves.

As for the hypocrites plotting to provoke the National Assembly against the alleged usurpation of its powers by President Jonathan in the matter of the new name of Moshood Abiola University of Lagos, Nigerians are waiting for such debate but with one plea. 

The proceedings should be broadcast live on radio and television so that the nation can see who are for and against the honour conferred on MKO Abiola.

In this wise, it should be noted after years of public agitation, a Niger Deltan (though as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) Goodluck Jonathan eventually honoured MKO Abiola by  naming a federal university after him. 

Not a single Northerner has opposed or even criticized President Jonathan. Similarly, not a single South Easterner or South Southerner of substance has criticized President Jonathan’s good gesture. It is another distinction for MKO Abiola as a prophet not known in his own (part of the) country.

The authorities of Moshood Abiola University, Lagos, were quite in order to close down the institution for a fortnight to cope with the imminent possible crisis and the students must be commended for complying even if after an initial resistance. 

After the fortnight, the university authorities must re-open the campus to allow students resume their courses. On return, the students must also allow peace to reign, in the belief that they have made their point. Only the students can provide the necessary environment for instant re-opening of the university after the period of closure. 

Any further or indefinite closing down of the institution can only disrupt the current academic session, much to the discomfort of the students, especially if any time spent by the students protesting indefinitely does not convince the university authorities to postpone examinations.