Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a socio-cultural organisation in the South-East geo-political zone, has rejected calls for the renaming of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) after the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Adamu Garba, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) had on Friday called on the federal government to consider renaming UNN after the British monarch who died on Wednesday.
“Immortalising Queen Elizabeth by renaming the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in her honour would’ve been an easier deal if I were communicating with our grandparents. Fortunately, they knew her worth,” Mr Garba suggested Thursday night on Twitter.
Most Nigerians, including the Youth Wing of the Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation led by Okechukwu Isiguzoro, rejected the suggestion.
Mr Isiguzoro who requested an apology from the former presidential aspirant in a statement on Friday said renaming the seat of power – Aso Rock Villa – should be considered if need be to immortalise the late Queen.
“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, has cautioned the federal gvernment against renaming the foremost and most prestigious University, the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) after the late british monarch, Queen Elizabeth II,” the statement reads.
“The university has bequeathed a legacy in southeastern Nigeria and it’s worthwhile for novices like the former APC Presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba to know that the federal medical center Umuahia, Abia state was renamed after the late British monarch, and is known as Queen Elizabeth medical center Umuahia, yet Nigerians are yet to see the late Queen Elizabeth’s legacies in northern Nigeria. It’s appropriate for the north to have a fair share of the Queen’s legacy.
“Ndigbo was instrumental and played a role in hosting late Queen Elizabeth II, in 1956 when Nigeria hosted the late Queen. It has not skipped our memories about the assistance rendered by an Igbo wealthy business mogul, Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu when Queen Elizabeth II visited Nigeria in 1956.
“The then Nigerian government couldn’t afford a Rolls-Royce, so it approached and borrowed this Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith LWB, from Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, the father of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Igbo legendary icon.
“If the federal government and the presidency wish to immortalise late Queen Elizabeth II, it should look at the role of the Queen in granting Nigeria political freedom and independence on 1st October 1960. And the most appropriate place to show gratitude to great Britain should be at Aso Rock, (the Citadel of Power).
“So, we call on federal government to rename the Aso Rock presidential villa after Queen Elizabeth II. This is the best place to honour Queen Elizabeth II, not the University of Nigeria Nsukka because it’s incendiary to destroy the symbol of Nigeria’s citadel of learning. We urge Adamu Garba to apologise to Ndigbo over this un-historical comment,” the group added.
