Everything is in a name when it comes to varsity

from DISPATCH FROM WASHINGTON column

By Dr. Abdillahi Alawy, Ph.D

LAMU West MP Twaha Fahim, thought it critical to name the up-coming Coast university after Mwai Kibaki. May be the president’s is a name that should be considered given that he was instrumental in attracting the initials funds for this new institution. There were two presidents before Kibaki and none of them took any serious initiatives that came this close.

With due respect, however, I am relieved that this university will not be called Mwai Kibaki. Because despite his current popularity, we still don’t know how Kibaki will fair when the final history of his presidency is written down. We are all human and before we die, many things can happen that can make us heroes or villains. For this reason, we should not set-up ourselves for failure until we know the finality of Kibaki’s legacy. I have long experience in the educational funding profession and my recommendation at this time is that we collectively name this university with care.

Public universities the world over continuously depend on funds from many sources private and public. A good smart and neutral name can be a magnet for future funding and a bad name can as easily hurt any institution. Imagine the reaction of funders who don’t believe that Moi was a good president for Kenya when asked to extend grant monies for Moi University?
Not many people will fail to separate the name and the university in this case. But believe me; names carry a lot of influence in these matters because the same funders receive proposals to support rehabilitation for Nyayo House torture victims.

Have you imagined the reasons why Makerere did not change its name to Iddi Amin Dada University? Whatever makes us believe that our living leaders, current and/or former won’t end up with histories as cold as that ascribed to the butchers of yesteryears?
There is no Siad Barre University or Julius Nyerere campus. We have not heard of Milton Obote College but we know of Patrice Lumumba University not in the Democratic Republic of Congo but located in the good old Russia, thousands of miles from where Lumumba was sacrificed. The point is if a certain leadership is great, then its name will forever live with us locally and globally.
And, Kibaki’s name will forever be remembered amongst us. Especially if all the allegations associated with the Artur brothers, Standard Newspapers attacks, Anglo Leasing, and an openly tribalist government are downgraded to mere fabricated talk by the opposition. Therefore, we don’t need MPs whose voice is only heard when they come out to “worship” the president.
Without argument it is best for a university to be called by the name of the town/region in which it resides. Apparently the initial plans aim at decentralizing the university’s campuses in the ten Coastal districts. Therefore, Pwani as a temporary name for the institution is excellent. But we should not stop there since Mwambao, and other names are also been associated with the region. Remember also that a university will need a lot of names afterwards for its buildings and facilities. So if you wanted a Chonyi campus, or Kaya Hall, please be patient.

More importantly the preferred name for the new university should come from the people themselves. Areas MPs, and a few highly educated individuals cannot do justice in this matter and involvement of other Coastals should be prioritized immediately. Whether through focus group interviews or in-depth research processes a method can be designed to incorporate involvement of many in naming this university.

Area MPs will not always be unbiased when it comes to such matters. Therefore, let’s start this on the right footing by inviting all stakeholders of this region. If research and interviews is confusing, it could be productive to sponsor a national or regional competition for naming this university.

Lastly, I am very pleased that Egerton’s Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak is chairing the 18-member team. He is an outstanding energetic Coastal academician who will provide excellent leadership in founding this new institution. I strongly believe that he has already started to steer the project in the right direction. In the coming months we are looking at quick progress that will seek input from not only amongst the 18 members but from all us who believe in this project.

Both Prof. Abdulrazak and I are students of the legendary Professor Juma Lugogo whose only absence in the above team is due to the fact that he is no longer with us any more. Coast and Kenya sadly lost Dr. Juma Lugogo in October of 2005, but the very best homage for this distinguished teacher and leader will be to do this thing in the right way for the people of the Coast Province.
aalawy@gmail.com
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Kenya Times,
Friday, April 20, 2007
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/20april07/editorials/comm1.html