On May, 29th 2012 President Goodluck Jonathan while addressing Nigerians on national television to mark the country's democracy day announced a name change for the University of Lagos. He renamed the institution after Late Moshood Abiola who was acclaimed to have won a presidential election in 1993 but was denied the mandate through a very questionable annulment announced by the military authorities of the day. He later died in 1998 while still struggling to reclaim that mandate and has since then been celebrated as one of Nigeria's icons of democracy.
Despite this, the pronouncement was greeted with an uproar and stiff opposition from many both within and outside the university community. Those against the change stated arguably that there were more serious issues to be addressed in the nation and this was not necessary at this time. They also argued that the university was too old to be renamed having recorded almost 50 years of enviable history. It is presently the only Nigerian university ranked among the top ten institutions in Africa. A case was filed against the Federal Government and is still pending.
The University this week crowned her Golden Jubilee anniversary with a Convocation ceremony releasing a total of 3,661 first degree holders (91 of these bagged first class honours) and 3,268 post graduate degree holders. The convocation was held under the old name of the University of Lagos despite alleged moves by the Federal Government to stop this. The ceremony was earlier scheduled for January 17th and 18th but was allegedly postponed due to the disagreement on name change.
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