President Tinubu
The Progressive Students Movement (PSM), a pan-African NGO, has called on the Federal Government to rename the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) in honour of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In a statement released on Friday in Enugu, PSM President, Ambassador Bestman Okereafor, said the recognition would be timely and meaningful while Obasanjo is still alive to receive the honour.
Describing the former president as “a living African legend,” Okereafor stressed that Obasanjo deserves the tribute due to his longstanding commitment to agricultural development in Nigeria.
He stated, “Information at our disposal shows ex-President Obasanjo has absolute passion for agriculture.
“He exhibited the same with the creation of Obasanjo Farms and his cultivation and harvest of maize while in Yola Custodial Centre between 1995 and 1998.”
Okereafor emphasized the importance of honouring national icons while they are alive, saying, “PSM strongly believes that living legends and heroes should be celebrated while alive.
“We are passionately calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider renaming Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) after the living African Legend, Baba Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo.”
He further argued that such a move would boost the university’s national stature and drive its progress.
Expressing appreciation to the current administration, Okereafor said, “We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for remaining the University of Maiduguri as Muhammadu Buhari University to celebrate and immortalise former President Buhari.
“It is on record that we have also seen Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Ahmadu Bello University; Odumegwu Ojukwu University; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University among several others.
“Therefore, renaming Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) after former President Olusegun Obasanjo, an illustrious son of Egba land and living African Legend, will not be out of place.”
