A group called the Sokoto Heritage Reloaded Initiative has urged President Bola Tinubu to implement a national pledge 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 following the handover of power by military head of state General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1979, which established the Second Nigerian Republic.
The group’s request follows Tinubu’s announcement to rename UNIMAID after late President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on July 13th in a London hospital following a brief illness.
Speaking to Tinubu in a statement issued by Nuruddeen Muhammad Mahe, the convener of the Sokoto Heritage Reloaded Initiative, ex-President Shagari was described as a symbol of humility, integrity, and statesmanship, rather than just a leader.
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 democratise access to higher education.”
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Nura stated that history will remember Tinubu as a man of loyalty and principle, with a strong sense of justice, and that renaming NOUN after Shagari is a better approach to immortalise him.
“Mr President, history will remember you as a man of loyalty and conviction, a leader who stood behind his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, long before power was within reach. From the days of the struggle for democracy to the merger that ushers in a new political age in Nigeria, your dedication to Buhari and national progress is well known and admirable.
“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.
