A bill seeking to convert Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University into a conventional institution has met fierce resistance from a former Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Suleiman Bogoro, who described the proposal as an embrace of backwardness that undermines the university's standing as one of Nigeria's foremost science and technology institutions.
Bogoro, a Professor of Agriculture and alumnus of the institution, made his position known on Thursday during the renaming of the Senate Building after the university's second Vice Chancellor, Buba G. Bajoga, who passed away in a London hospital on February 5, 2026.
The Senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, Shehu Buba, had initiated moves at the National Assembly to amend the university's establishment law to allow its conversion, with a public hearing already conducted on the bill. Bogoro, reacting to the development, was unsparing in his criticism.
"When some people suggested that ATBU should be revised to a conventional university, I shouted from the rooftop. It is unacceptable," he declared. He added, "ATBU is one of the best in Science and Technology. The best crop of scientists and engineers in Nigeria is from here. You should be proud of that. The suggestion that we go back as a conventional university is to say we want to embrace backwardness."
Bogoro further described the proposal as a "direct slap" on the institution's achievements, stressing that ATBU has consistently ranked among the best technology universities in the region and that there was no cogent reason to amend the university's law.
The occasion also served as an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of the late Bajoga, whom Vice Chancellor Ibrahim Garba described as the architect of the university's formative years. Garba noted that Bajoga transformed the institution with vision and dedication, turning it into a centre of excellence that has produced outstanding graduates. "Under his stewardship, ATBU flourished through innovative curriculum development, strategic infrastructure growth, and a commitment to nurturing talents that would shape Nigeria's future," Garba stated.
The late Bajoga, a former Managing Director of the defunct Nigerian Telecommunications Limited, was credited with spearheading reforms that expanded telecommunications access and bridged the digital divide in Nigeria, embodying the pioneering spirit of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, whose name the university bears.
