Rename NOUN after Shehu Shagari — Sokoto group begs Tinubu

By Idowu Bankole

A group, Sokoto Heritage Reloaded Initiative, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to fulfil a national promise made by the late Buhari administration, to name a national monument, the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, after the late former President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari.

Shehu Shagari was Nigeria’s first executive President after the transfer of power by military head of state General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1979, which gave rise to the Second Nigerian Republic.

The group’s appeal is coming on the heels of President Tinubu’s announcement renaming UNIMAID after late President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on July 13th in a London hospital after a brief illness.

In a statement signed by Nuruddeen Muhammad Mahe, the Convener of the Sokoto Heritage Reloaded Initiative, ex-Pr said ex-president Shagari was not just a leader but a symbol of humility, integrity, and statesmanship.

According to Nura, Shagari’s “vision for Nigeria, especially in the area of education, laid the groundwork for what we have today in distance and open learning. It was during his tenure that the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) was first conceived”

“It is in this spirit of continuity, respect for history, and your deep sense of justice that we appeal to you to fulfil a national promise made by the Buhari administration: to name a national monument after the late President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, GCFR, Nigeria’s first executive President.

“President Shagari was not just a leader; he was a symbol of humility, integrity, and statesmanship. His vision for Nigeria, especially in the area of education, laid the groundwork for what we have today in distance and open learning. It was during his tenure that the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) was first conceived — a revolutionary idea to democratize access to higher education.”

Nura noted that history will always remember President Tinubu as a man of loyalty and principle and one with a deep sense of justice, saying that the better way to immortalise Shagari is by renaming NOUN after him.

Mr. President, history will always remember you as a man of loyalty and principle — a leader who stood shoulder to shoulder with his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, long before power was within reach. From the days of struggle for democracy to the merger that birthed a new political era in Nigeria, your commitment to Buhari and to national progress is well known and commendable.

“Mr. President, what better way to immortalise Shehu Shagari than to rename NOUN as the Shehu Shagari Open University of Nigeria — a tribute not just to his legacy, but to his enduring vision for an educated and enlightened Nigeria.”

“By doing this, Your Excellency, you would not only honour a great son of Nigeria but also write your name in gold as the leader who kept promises made in good faith — even across administrations. It would signal that Nigeria is a country that remembers, rewards legacy, and respects the contributions of its heroes past.”

“Mr. President, with your well-known respect for national icons and commitment to unity, we are confident that you will heed this noble call. In honouring Shehu Shagari, you honour the values of humility, service, and patriotism that define the Nigerian spirit.

“May your leadership continue to uplift Nigeria and bind us together as one nation under God,” the statement read.

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