ABUJA, Nigeria — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the renaming and revitalisation of the Institute of Petroleum Studies in Kaduna as the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology, in honour of the late military leader and pro-democracy advocate, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.
The announcement was made during the President’s nationwide address marking the 2026 Democracy Day celebration on Thursday.
According to President Tinubu, the decision was taken in recognition of Yar’Adua’s significant contributions to Nigeria’s democratic development and his commitment to national unity and political inclusion.
Describing the late statesman as one of the architects of modern democratic Nigeria, Tinubu said the new institution would serve as a lasting tribute to his legacy while advancing education and research in geological sciences and engineering technology.
“Among the architects of modern democratic Nigeria, we honour General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua for his vision of national partnership,” the President stated during the broadcast.
The institution, previously known as the Institute of Petroleum Studies, Kaduna, will be upgraded and revitalised to function as a specialised university focused on geological sciences, petroleum studies, engineering, and technology-related disciplines.
General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua served as Nigeria’s Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, between 1976 and 1979 during the military administration of former Head of State Olusegun Obasanjo. He later became a leading figure in Nigeria’s democratic movement and founded the influential People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), which played a key role in shaping the country’s political landscape.
Yar’Adua was imprisoned during the military regime of General Sani Abacha and died in detention in 1997. His political influence extended beyond his lifetime and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s eventual return to democratic governance.
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