By Amos Aar
BENUE State University (BSU), Makurdi, has announced the formalisation of the renaming of the institution after its founder and former governor, Reverend Father Moses Orshio Adasu.
An internal memo, dated May 12, 2025, and signed by Terna Alu, Deputy Registrar, for the Registrar, the university’s management revealed that the law effecting the change of name had been passed into law by the Benue State House of Assembly and signed by Governor Hyacinth Alia, who is the Visitor to the University, on December 30, 2024.
The memo, however, did not explain the delay in conveying the information on the formalisation of the name change to relevant departments and officers of the institution as well as the general public almost five months after the governor signed the bill into law.
Findings by National Record indicate that Benue State House of Assembly passed the bill approving the name change on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, and therefore the governor couldn’t have signed it into law a day earlier on December 30, 2024).
It could be recalled that the bill to rename BSU after its founder, passed second reading on December 20, 2024 during plenary at the State House of Assembly, after which the Speaker, Hon. Hyacinth Dajo, in his ruling, referred it to the House Standing Committee on Higher Education for further legislative scrutiny.
Governor Alia had announced the renaming of BSU on Saturday, December 7, 2024 during BSU’s combined convocation held on the campus.
Governor Alia said his administration had already forwarded an executive bill to the State House of Assembly for the renaming to go through a formal legislative process.
The institution’s management, in its memo, emphasized that the institution remains committed to delivering quality education under its new identity.
“All official documents and correspondence must now reflect the name Reverend Father Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi (MOAUM),” the notice stated.
