President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come under heavy fire for renaming a number of important government agencies after himself in less than a year. His actions have sparked discussions about the morality of governance and worries about personal glorification in Nigerian politics. One such action is the commissioning of a multibillion-dollar army barracks in Asokoro, Abuja. Critics of Tinubu contend that these acts point to a concerning pattern of sycophantic behavior in politics.
President Tinubu opened the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks in Asokoro, which is intended to house military personnel, in a move that heightened the criticism. The government-funded barracks project is a component of a larger initiative to fortify Nigeria’s military facilities. But the president’s priorities have come under scrutiny after such a major facility was renamed. Olúṣeun Onígbindé, a co-founder of Budgit, is among the critics who have voiced concerns that these self-serving actions compromise the values of institutional integrity and national unity. Speaking exclusively to Probitas Reporter, Onígbindé emphasized that a deeper issue in Nigeria’s political system is reflected in the growing trend of naming public institutions after political figures. He underlined the necessity of leadership that prioritizes the common good over the exaltation of the individual.
This is not an isolated incident, according to the Probitas Reporter’s investigation. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) opened a new technology center in Abuja just two months prior to the opening of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks. The center’s purpose is to modernize processes like passport production, border surveillance, and human data collection. Launched in late 2023, this initiative was hailed as a major step in enhancing the effectiveness of Nigeria’s immigration services. However, new conversations regarding the growing personalization of public services have been triggered by the facility’s association with the president’s name. Critics contend that although these initiatives are significant, they ought to prioritize long-term institutional objectives over personal legacies.
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Tinubu’s administration also authorized the construction of a new polytechnic in Abuja, in addition to the army barracks and immigration center. The announcement, which was made in a letter to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, on January 9, further supports the practice of renaming and creating public institutions in the president’s name. Although the goal of this action is to meet the nation’s rising demand for higher education, there are worries that it may conflate personal branding with governance.
In an interview with Probitas Reporter, Onígbindé expressed his profound displeasure with the state of affairs, characterizing it as a “abuse of norms” and a sign of Nigeria’s increasingly sycophantic culture. He maintained that renaming government agencies after political leaders not only encourages sycophancy but also goes against the fundamentals of moral leadership. According to Onígbindé, such acts deflect focus from the actual problems facing Nigeria, like poverty, corruption, and the necessity of true political reform.
Another illustration of this phenomenon is the University of Abuja’s rebranding as Yakubu Gowon University. The decision was made in honor of General Yakubu Gowon, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday, and was announced by Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation. Although this action is regarded as a show of respect for the former military leader, it also calls into question the growing practice of renaming institutions in honor of current and former leaders.
The need for leadership that goes beyond identity politics and prioritizes competence and unity is growing more and more obvious as Nigeria struggles with these developments. Probitas Reporter keeps an eye on the developing circumstances and calls for a political change that puts the good of the country ahead of individual aspirations.
