Resistance to Change in Nigeria: A Case Study of Renaming the University of Lagos as Moshood Abiola University

Authors

  • A. A. Adeyemo
  • P. M. Onikoyi

Keywords:

Resistance to Change, Case study, Nigeria

Abstract

The University of Lagos, Nigeria was established in 1962 and has provided quality education to students both within and outside the Country.  It has impacted positively on education and academic matters globally. Chief Moshood Abiola was a popular Nigerian businessman and politician. He died in 1998 as a political Hero while in detention because of his insistence on claiming his electoral victory. In 2012, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria took a decision to honour him for making the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of justice and truth by renaming the University of Lagos as Moshood Abiola University. Many people and corporate bodies including Students, Lecturers and the Alumni Association of the University strongly expressed their rejection of the decision on the renaming. However, some other group of people did not find anything wrong in the decision. The reasons adduced for resistance to the nomenclatural change cover legal, historical and political factors.  Controversies, generated by the decision of the President to rename the institution have lingered on for several months but the change is yet to be effected. This suggested that the proposed name change has been successfully resisted, at least, to some extent.  This experience has, therefore, become a typical case study on resistance to change.

References

Fanimo,D. (2012): Labour lauds Jonathan for immortalising Abiola: In The Guardian May 31, Vol.29, No. 12, 208, p. 31

Soyinka, W. (2012): Its arbitrary, an act of disrespect. In The PUNCH, May 31, Vol. 17, No. 20, 153, pages 10.

Soyombo, O. (2012): UNILAG: What is in a name? In The PUNCH, May 30, Vol. 17, No. 20, 153, p.16.

UNILAG Alumni (2012): Press Release- “UNILAG Alumni Association Reject Proposed Change of Name†In The Guardian, May 30, Vol. 29, No. 207 pages 9.

The Guardian (2012): Mixed reaction trail renaming of UNIAG after Abiola. May 30, Vol. 29, No. 12, 207. Pp. 1 & 2.

The Guardian (2012): UNILAG shut, Government defends name change as protests persist. May 31, Vol.29, No. 12, 208, Pp 1, 2 & 4.

The Guardian (2012): Editorial: Wrong way to honour a hero. May 31, Vol.29, No. 12, 208, p. 14.

The Guardian (2012): UNILAG Calm, Tinubu, others proffer solutions to crises. June 1, Vol.29, No. 12, 209, p. 2.

The Guardian (2012): Resentment, protests trail UNILAG’s re- naming to MAUL. June 1, Vol.29, No. 12, 209, p. 20 & 21.

Saturday PUNCH (2012): UNILAG students, police clash again. June 2, Vol. 7126, No. 1616, p. 6.

The PUNCH (2012): Jonathan’s Address on Democracy Day. May 30, Vol. 17, No. 20, 152, Pp. 24 & 66.

The PUNCH (2012): UNILAG Crisis deepens. May 31, Vol.17, No. 20, 153, Pp. 1, 2, 4 10 & 66.

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Published

2013-10-14

How to Cite

Adeyemo, A. A., & Onikoyi, P. M. (2013). Resistance to Change in Nigeria: A Case Study of Renaming the University of Lagos as Moshood Abiola University. Asian Journal of Business and Management, 1(4). Retrieved from https://www.ajouronline.com/index.php/AJBM/article/view/465

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 4 (2013): October 2013

Section

Articles

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