Tinubu renames Kaduna institution after Yar'Adua on Democracy Day

President Bola Tinubu announced this morning during his Democracy Day broadcast that the Institute of Petroleum Studies in Kaduna has been renamed the General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering. This is a significant move, recognising a man who paid the ultimate price for his beliefs in a democratic Nigeria.

General Yar'Adua died in December 1997 while in the custody of the Abacha regime, accused of plotting a coup. He was a relative of late President Umaru Yar'Adua. Tinubu specifically acknowledged him as one of the architects of modern democratic Nigeria, saying in his speech, 'In recognition of his contributions, the Federal Government has approved the revitalisation and renaming of the completed Institute of Petroleum Studies, Kaduna.'

I find this gesture thoughtful but I wonder if it will translate into meaningful support for the institution's development. Naming is one thing, funding and staffing are another matter entirely. Is this a genuine honour or just another naming ceremony that will be forgotten by next year?